The head of the UN’s atomic watchdog, Rafael Grossi said that Iran has temporarily shut down its nuclear facilities for “security considerations” following its extensive missile and drone assault on Israel over the weekend.
Addressing journalists during a UN Security Council meeting, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Grossi responded to inquiries regarding potential Israeli retaliation against Iranian nuclear facilities in light of the attack.
“We are always concerned about this possibility. What I can tell you is that our inspectors in Iran were informed by the Iranian government that yesterday (Sunday), all the nuclear facilities that we are inspecting every day would remain closed on security considerations,” he said.
“I decided to not let the inspectors return until we see that the situation is completely calm,” he added while calling for “extreme restraint.”
Iran unleashed a barrage of over 300 drones and missiles targeting Israel overnight from Saturday to Sunday. This retaliatory strike was prompted by an earlier air strike on a consular building in Damascus, which resulted in the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guards, including two generals.
