AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, issuing a statement following the aggressive U.S. attack on the construction site of the Karun Nuclear Power Plant in Darkhoveyn, called on the international community to adopt a "zero tolerance" policy against attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities under safeguards.
The statement read, "In the early hours of July 19, 2026, the United States, in yet another aggressive act, fired a number of missiles at the construction site of the Karun Nuclear Power Plant (Darkhoveyn), which is a symbol of the dignity and scientific self-sufficiency of the Iranian nation. This attack, which is the eighteenth wave of such attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities and sites under Iran's safeguards since the beginning of the joint U.S.-Israeli aggressions in June 2025, is another clear witness that these wrongful international acts are aimed at destroying all civilian infrastructure of a country simply because of its strong resistance to oppression and rejection of 'unconditional surrender.' These attacks also once again confirm that all the narratives of the aggressors under titles such as proliferation concerns are nothing but lies, misinformation, and deception to justify their illegitimate objectives."
The statement added, "Such attacks, as material violations of the prohibition of aggression, which is a peremptory norm in international law, are deeply concerning, especially given that attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities and sites under safeguards are becoming normalized, particularly due to the malfunctioning of relevant international institutions. While appeasement of aggressors, including through silence and passivity, essentially encourages and emboldens them to commit more aggressions with greater frequency and brutality, it is clear that the continuation of this dangerous and accelerating trend will harm global economic development and reduce the confidence of states in the safe use of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes. This underscores the need for immediate action by the international community of states, as well as relevant international institutions, particularly the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency, to strongly condemn such attacks and take effective measures against them, which are fundamental violations of the basic principles of international law, as well as the UN Charter, the objectives and purposes of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency."
The Permanent Mission stated, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has been continuously in contact with the Agency, and in this regard, on July 19, 2026, the Vice President and Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran sent a letter to the Director General of the IAEA calling for effective and appropriate measures to be taken against such aggressions that endanger the integrity and credibility of global non-proliferation norms."
The statement concluded, "While the Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to take all necessary measures to firmly protect its national interests and sovereign rights, preventing any attack on peaceful nuclear facilities under safeguards remains a collective global responsibility, and the world must adopt a zero tolerance policy against such unlawful acts."
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