UN nuclear watchdog says 'no major military activity' targeting Iran's nuclear plants

GENEVA

The UN nuclear watchdog said Monday that it has no indication that Iran's nuclear facilities have been hit by three days of US-Israeli strikes, or at least no hits “comparable” to the US attack on Iran last June.

"We haven't seen major military activity targeting the nuclear facilities. We have been looking at ... satellite images," International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi told a press briefing.

"There might be something there, but not significant or comparable in any way to what we saw last time," he said in response to the Iranian envoy's remarks claiming that the Natanz nuclear site had been hit, comparing the situation to the US’ June 2025 attack targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Addressing the IAEA Board of Governors earlier, Grossi said that no abnormal radiation levels have been detected in countries neighboring Iran following recent military strikes, while cautioning that the situation remains highly concerning.

“There is no indication that any of the nuclear installations, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor, or other nuclear fuel cycle facilities, have been damaged or hit,” he said.

He said the IAEA’s Incident and Emergency Center is operating with a dedicated team to monitor developments, but also that communication with Iran’s nuclear regulatory authorities has not yet been restored.

Grossi warned that the presence of nuclear power plants and research reactors across the region heightens safety risks amid the ongoing military escalation.

“We therefore urge utmost restraint in all military operations,” he said, reiterating that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place.”

Describing the situation as “very concerning,” Grossi cautioned that a potential radiological release with serious consequences cannot be ruled out and stressed that a durable resolution can only be achieved through dialogue.

“Diplomacy is hard, but it is never impossible,” he added.