At the same time, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warns that the Middle East risks a nuclear catastrophe if Israel attacks Iran's southern nuclear power plant Bushehr – which contains thousands of kilograms of nuclear material – in the Persian Gulf, which so far seems to have escaped attacks.
Countries in the region have contacted me directly in the last few hours to express their concern, and I want to make it absolutely and completely clear – in the event of an attack on the nuclear power plant in Bushehr, a direct hit would lead to a very large release of radioactivity, says Grossi before the UN Security Council at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday.
Equally serious consequences can attacks on power lines that supply the nuclear power plant with electricity have, according to Grossi.
Grossi appeals for a diplomatic solution and repeats that he is ready to travel to negotiate an agreement.
IAEA can through a watertight inspection system guarantee that nuclear weapons will not be developed in Iran, he says.
