IAEA Chief Warns UN Security Council That Strike On Iran's Bushehr Plant Would Create Nuclear Disaster
The head of the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA,Rafael Mariano Grossi, has issued fresh remarks before the Security Council on Friday, warning that Israeli strikes on Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant is where the consequences of an attack could be most serious. The active and operating nuclear power plant currently hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material. He warns of potential nuclear disaster:
'Countries of the region have reached out directly to me over the past few hours to express their concerns, and I want to make it absolutely and completely clear — in case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity,' Grossi tells the UN Security Council.
More highlights from Grossi's UN address via Al Jazeera: Countries of the region have reached out directly to me over the past few hours to express their concerns, and I want to make it absolutely and completely clear that, in case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment.
Similarly, a hit that disables the only two lines supplying electrical power to the plant could cause its reactor core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment.
In their worst case, both scenarios would necessitate protective actions, such as evacuations and sheltering of the population, or the need to take stable iodine with a reach extending to distances from a few to several hundred kilometres. Radiation monitoring would need to cover distances of several hundred kilometres, and food restrictions may need to be implemented.
Any action against the Tehran nuclear research reactor could also have severe consequences, potentially for large areas of the city of Tehran and its inhabitants.
Armed attack on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with great consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the state which has been attacked. I, therefore, again call for maximum restraint.
Oil facilities are still getting hit by Israeli warplanes into Friday:
A series of headlines, some contradictory, on where things stand with Iran nuclear negotiations with the US, sent oil sliding, then pumping, then extending losses again.
One senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran is 'ready' to discuss limitations on its uranium enrichment, while a quick follow-up headline said 'zero enrichment will undoubtedly be rejected' by Iran 'especially now, under Israel's strikes.'
The official said 'the role of European powers is now more prominent, as Tehran is unwilling to engage with US amid Israeli attacks. After that glimmer of hope offered for negotiations, the clarification that nothing has in fact change, sent oil dropping further Friday morning.
Oil prices declined on Friday but stayed on track for a third straight weekly increase, following the White House's postponement of a decision regarding US participation in the Israel-Iran conflict:
Brent crude futures were down $2.57, or around 3.3%, to $76.28 a barrel by 1204 GMT but still set to gain nearly 3% on the week.
According to the latest from Bloomberg:
Israel will complete the task of preventing Iran from gaining nuclear weapons whether or not the US joins the operation, its energy minister said. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the only way to end the war is to 'unconditionally' stop Israel.
And Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has clarified just before meeting European officials in Geneva related to EU efforts at mediate that 'Iran is not prepared for negotiations with anyone while Israel continues its attacks.'
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