Iran’s nuclear ambassador Reza Najafi has accused the United States and Israel of targeting the Natanz uranium enrichment facility. Najafi’s accusations, however, contradict the statement from Rafael Grossi, the United Nations (UN) nuclear chief.
Najafi told reporters at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, “Again they attacked Iran’s peaceful safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday. Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie.” When a reporter inquired about the facility, Najafi revealed it to be Natanz.
However, the IAEA confirmed it has not detected increased radiation levels after the airstrike. IAEA’s incident and emergency center is assessing the potential damage from the strikes to monitor radiation and ensure safety.
The UN atomic watchdog said on Monday it has no indication that Iran’s nuclear facilities were damaged in recent military attacks, even as Tehran’s ambassador to the agency said the Natanz enrichment site was targeted a day earlier.https://t.co/GZ3iR9Xv68 pic.twitter.com/wbfSy2Yjer
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 2, 2026
Grossi, the agency’s director-general, stated, “So far, no elevation of radiation levels above the usual background levels has been detected in countries bordering Iran.” He confirmed there’s no indication of damage to the Middle Eastern country’s nuclear facility.
The Natanz site is located 135 miles south of Tehran. The facility has both underground and above the ground laboratories to work on uranium enrichment. The facility was attacked last year as part of Operation Midnight Hammer, leaving the facility damaged.
President Donald Trump claimed during his State of the Union address that the Middle Eastern country was working on nuclear weapons that could read the U.S., citing it as a major reason to strike the country. However, various sources confirmed that this was not true and that they could not have made such missiles until 2035.
According to the IAEA, the Natanz facility was capable of enriching uranium up to 60 percent before the war. Moreover, the facility was left functionally destroyed after Israel hit the plant on June 13, 2025. This was followed by the U.S.’s attack on June 22.
[ 🇮🇷 IRAN | 🇺🇸 UNITED STATES | 🇮🇱 ISRAEL ]
🚨🇮🇷🇺🇸🇮🇱 JUST IN: Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA says the Natanz nuclear site was targeted in U.S.–Israeli strikes, hitting the Iranian nuclear enrichment facility amid the ongoing conflict, according to state allegations. #Iran #US… pic.twitter.com/yljCJXjrP5
— Global rush (@GlobalRushh) March 2, 2026
Grossi has clarified that the IAEA is in touch with the the country’s nuclear regulatory authorities, but has not received any response so far. There has been limited communication due to the current war, that may last four weeks.
Meanwhile, Najafi has also accused Trump of initiating the war. He called out Trump, saying, “(Trump) attempts to portray himself as a man of peace and is asking for the Nobel Peace Prize. Even when they talk about peace, it is a lie. If they call for diplomacy, it’s about deception.”
Najafi also called the strikes on Iran criminal, brutal and unlawful. In addition, he has urged IAEA board members to condemn the attack.
