IAEA Chief Calls for ‘Military Restraint’ After Reported Strike on Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility
Original article by Jessica Corbett republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
After Israel’s military suggested that the United States bombed the enrichment complex, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on an Israeli city that’s home to a nuclear research center.
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog issued a fresh demand for restraint on Saturday after the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced that the Shahid Ahmadi-Roshan uranium enrichment complex in Natanz “was subjected to a renewed attack” as the United States and Israel continue to bomb the Middle Eastern country.
The Iranian agency said that “technical assessments indicate that no radioactive material leakage has occurred and there is no danger to residents of the surrounding areas,” but the attack was a “violation of international laws and commitments,” including the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
RECOMMENDED…
Trump March to War With Iran Is ‘Iraq Redux,’ Says Former Head of UN Nuclear Watchdog
‘Intentional Chemical Warfare’: Toxic Black Rain in Tehran After US-Israel Bomb Oil Facilities
The International Atomic Energy Agency “has been informed by Iran that the Natanz nuclear site was attacked today,” the UN watchdog confirmed on social media. “No increase in off-site radiation levels reported. IAEA is looking into the report.”
“IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterates call for military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident,” the agency added.
The Times of Israel reported that “in response to a query… the Israel Defense Forces said that it did not conduct any strikes in the area and that it could not comment on American activities.”
The Israeli newspaper also noted that “Israel’s Kan news reported that the US had indeed struck the facility, using ‘bunker buster’ bombs to target the site. It cited unspecified sources.”
Later Saturday, The Times of Israel reported that at least 20 people were wounded in an Iranian ballistic missile attack on the Israeli city of Dimona, home to Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center.
The United States previously bombed Iran’s Natanz facility last June. The Associated Press highlighted Saturday that satellite images also suggest the site was damaged during the first week of the current war, which President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched on February 28.
Condemning the Saturday strike on Iran’s complex, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that “this is a brazen violation of international law, the charters of the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the agency’s General Conference.”
Russia has notably also generated fears of a nuclear accident with its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022.
Trump has sent mixed messages about the US-Israeli war on Iran, both sending thousands more troops to the region this week while also saying on his Truth Social platform Friday that “we are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran.”
According to the AP: “Iran’s capital saw heavy airstrikes overnight and into the morning, residents said, as thousands of worshippers converged on Tehran’s grand mosque for prayers marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said attacks would ‘increase significantly’ next week.”
Original article by Jessica Corbett republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
Iran’s new supreme leader says country’s defense stronger than ‘enemies’ assume
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Friday that the country’s front lines are far stronger than its “enemies” assume, accusing them of miscalculating Iran’s internal strength, Anadolu reports.
In a written message marking the start of the Persian New Year (Nowruz), Khamenei said the war began after the enemy lost hope of triggering a popular uprising inside Iran.
He said adversaries believed assassinating top leaders and military figures would create fear and despair among the population and lead to the collapse of the political system.
Khamenei, however, said Iranians formed what he described as a “vast defense line” across the country, frustrating those plans.
READ: Iran will have ‘zero restraint’ if its infrastructure attacked, says foreign minister
He also called on Iranian media to avoid focusing on internal weaknesses, warning that hostile media operations aim to undermine national unity.
Khamenei declared the slogan for the new Persian year as “resistance economy under national unity and national security.”
He also said attacks that targeted Turkiye and Oman were not carried out by Iran or its allies, accusing Israel of attempting to sow division between Iran and its neighbors.
Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far some 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
READ: Trump considers risky Kharg Island takeover to force Iran to reopen strait: Report
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- US sues Harvard University over antisemitism allegations, seeks to freeze grants
- Ahead of Netanyahu visit, Human Rights Watch urges Hungary to arrest Israeli premier
- Israeli reservist detained over alleged leak of Iron Dome secrets to Iran
- Iran war poses ‘greatest energy security threat in history’: International Energy Agency
- Iran’s new supreme leader says country’s defense stronger than ‘enemies’ assume
- NATO relocates Iraq mission personnel to Europe amid Mideast escalation
- Iran will have ‘zero restraint’ if its infrastructure attacked, says foreign minister
- FIFA’s inaction on football clubs based in Israeli settlements flouts international law: Amnesty
- Hezbollah says it has launched 9 attacks on Israeli settlements since early Friday
- Switzerland suspends arms exports to US amid Iran attacks, citing neutrality
- Spanish premier unveils $5.7B plan to cope with ‘illegal’ Iran war
- Netanyahu’s ‘terrorism’ continues to threaten peace, says Turkish president
- Is Washington already regretting its war with Iran?
Iran war poses ‘greatest energy security threat in history’: International Energy Agency
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The conflict involving Iran has triggered the most severe energy security crisis the world has ever seen, warned a top international energy official, Anadolu reports.
Speaking to The Financial Times on Friday, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol said the conflict represents “the greatest global energy security threat in history.”
Birol, a Turkish economist and energy expert, pointed out that the current conflict has cut off twice the volume of gas that Europe lost from Russia in 2022, after the start of the Ukraine war.
The Strait of Hormuz has effectively been blocked by Iranian threats to target vessels, halting “vital arteries” of the global economy, he said.
Birol warned that markets and politicians are still underestimating the depth of the crisis, saying: “People understand that this is a major challenge, but I am not sure that the depth and the consequences of the situation are well understood.”
Even if the conflict ends and the strait is reopened, restarting damaged or shuttered oil and gas fields will take significant time, he said: “It will be six months for some (sites) to be operational, others much longer.”
In response to strait’s closure, last week the IEA announced the release of 400 million barrels of oil and refined products from emergency reserves, about 20% of its total stockpiles.
Birol said additional supply discussions are underway with major producers including Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Norway, though he stressed these measures cannot fully offset the loss of Middle Eastern output.
READ: Iran’s new supreme leader says country’s defense stronger than ‘enemies’ assume
“The single most important action is the resumption of transits through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
Birol also urged European governments not to ease restrictions on Russian gas imports, warning against renewed dependence on Moscow despite the current crisis.
Russia’s Nord Stream pipelines remains inoperable, and its reputation as a reliable supplier has been severely damaged, he said.
Looking ahead, Birol said the crisis could reshape global energy policy, echoing the lasting impact of the 1973 and 1979 oil shocks.
He predicted increased investment in renewable energy, a revival of nuclear power, and accelerated adoption of electric vehicles, alongside a possible return to coal use instead of gas.
Regional hostilities in the Middle East have escalated since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks across the region and has effectively closed to most ships the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route that normally handles about 20 million barrels per day and roughly 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- US sues Harvard University over antisemitism allegations, seeks to freeze grants
- Ahead of Netanyahu visit, Human Rights Watch urges Hungary to arrest Israeli premier
- Israeli reservist detained over alleged leak of Iron Dome secrets to Iran
- Iran war poses ‘greatest energy security threat in history’: International Energy Agency
- Iran’s new supreme leader says country’s defense stronger than ‘enemies’ assume
- NATO relocates Iraq mission personnel to Europe amid Mideast escalation
- Iran will have ‘zero restraint’ if its infrastructure attacked, says foreign minister
- FIFA’s inaction on football clubs based in Israeli settlements flouts international law: Amnesty
- Hezbollah says it has launched 9 attacks on Israeli settlements since early Friday
- Switzerland suspends arms exports to US amid Iran attacks, citing neutrality
- Spanish premier unveils $5.7B plan to cope with ‘illegal’ Iran war
- Netanyahu’s ‘terrorism’ continues to threaten peace, says Turkish president
- Is Washington already regretting its war with Iran?
Ahead of Netanyahu visit, Human Rights Watch urges Hungary to arrest Israeli premier
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
On the eve of a planned visit, Human Rights Watch on Friday has called on Hungarian authorities to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he enters the country, Anadolu reports.
The visit, set to start Saturday, comes weeks before Hungary’s April 12 general elections.
“Despite its move to leave the ICC (International Criminal Court), Hungary is still a member country and is still obligated to arrest and surrender individuals wanted by the court,” said Alice Autin, international justice researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“By flouting this obligation, for the second time in less than a year, Hungary would further entrench impunity for serious crimes in Palestine and once again betray victims who have been denied justice for far too long,” she added.
The call comes after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024 over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza since October 2023.
Both remain fugitives from the ICC.
Netanyahu previously visited Hungary in April 2025 without being arrested. Hungary has formally announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC treaty, effective this June 2, sparking criticism from international lawyers and civil society.
READ: Israeli reservist detained over alleged leak of Iron Dome secrets to Iran
Human Rights Watch also decried ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, Gaza, and against Iran, stressing the “urgent need to respect the rule of law and support credible avenues for justice.”
The organization also called on EU and ICC member states to press Hungary to reverse its withdrawal and cooperate with the court.
“(Prime Minister Viktor) Orban’s government is about to roll out the red carpet again for Netanyahu, when it is obligated to arrest him,” Autin said. “Silence and persistent inaction from the EU risks sending a dangerous message of acquiescence as the Israeli government continues to be responsible for atrocities.”
Israel in October 2024 launched a two-year war on the Gaza Strip, killing more than 71,000 people, injuring over 172,000, and destroying about 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure, with reconstruction costs estimated by the UN at around $70 billion.
Despite an October 2025 truce, Israel has continued its daily attacks, killing at least 677 Palestinians and injuring 1,813 others since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
- US sues Harvard University over antisemitism allegations, seeks to freeze grants
- Ahead of Netanyahu visit, Human Rights Watch urges Hungary to arrest Israeli premier
- Israeli reservist detained over alleged leak of Iron Dome secrets to Iran
- Iran war poses ‘greatest energy security threat in history’: International Energy Agency
- Iran’s new supreme leader says country’s defense stronger than ‘enemies’ assume
- NATO relocates Iraq mission personnel to Europe amid Mideast escalation
- Iran will have ‘zero restraint’ if its infrastructure attacked, says foreign minister
- FIFA’s inaction on football clubs based in Israeli settlements flouts international law: Amnesty
- Hezbollah says it has launched 9 attacks on Israeli settlements since early Friday
- Switzerland suspends arms exports to US amid Iran attacks, citing neutrality
- Spanish premier unveils $5.7B plan to cope with ‘illegal’ Iran war
- Netanyahu’s ‘terrorism’ continues to threaten peace, says Turkish president
- Is Washington already regretting its war with Iran?