The entrances to subterranean tunnels of Iran’s Isfahan nuclear complex were damaged during a midnight US missile strike, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA said, “We have verified that the basement tunnel entrances at this location were impacted.”
According to officials, a sizable quantity of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium had been safely stored underground in Isfahan before Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13.
“We implore Iran to exercise restraint,” said the UK ambassador
In the meantime, Barbara Woodward, the UK’s ambassador to the UN, addressed a UN Security Council emergency session.
“Regional and international peace are at risk from further war escalation. De-escalating tensions must now be our first concern,” she stated. “Neither the US nor the Israeli strikes involved the United Kingdom,” she continued. “A long-term solution cannot be achieved solely through military action, especially in light of Iran’s nuclear program.”
“We now urge all parties to return to the negotiating table in search of a diplomatic resolution, and call on Iran to exercise restraint,” Woodward stated.
UN chief: US strikes represent a “dangerous turning point” in a region that is already unstable
Conversely, Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, also spoke during the emergency session. The US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities are a “dangerous turning point” in an already unstable region, according to key points from his statement. He also stated that serious, ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program must resume and that hostilities must end immediately and unconditionally.
“A cycle of revenge, with one act leading to another, is now a possibility. To stop further escalation, safeguard people, and guarantee the security of sea navigation, diplomacy must be prioritized,” he continued.
