Joint Statement of 15 States on Prohibition of All Forms of Attacks and Threats of Attack Against Nuclear Sites and Facilities Under IAEA Safeguards

JOINT STATEMENT By The Republic of Belarus The Federative Republic of Brazil Burkina Faso The People’s Republic of China The Republic of Cuba The Republic of Indonesia The Islamic Republic of Iran The Republic of Iraq The Republic of Nicaragua The Republic of the Niger The Islamic Republic of Pakistan The Russian Federation The Republic of South Africa The Republic of Tajikistan and The Republic of Zimbabwe at the 70th IAEA General Conference under Agneda Item 23: “Prohibition of All Forms of Attacks and Threats of Attack Against Nuclear Sites and Facilities Under IAEA Safeguards and Devoted to Peaceful Purposes” – 17 September 2026

We underline the importance of full and effective realization of the objectives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in particular its statutory mandate to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health, and prosperity throughout the world and reaffirm the inalienable right of all States to develop research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination.

1. We recall the United Nations Security Council resolution 487 (1981), which strongly condemned the military attack against nuclear facilities, as well as the relevant decisions and resolutions of the IAEA General Conference, namely GC(53)/DEC/13, GC(XXIX)/RES/443, GC(XXIX)/RES/444 and GC(XXXIV)/RES/533 which clearly reflect the longstanding position of the international community against attacks, or threat of attack, against nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards and devoted to peaceful purposes.
2. We reaffirm that attack, or threat of attack, against nuclear facilities is violation of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the Statute of the IAEA, and is profoundly inconsistent with the objects and purposes of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
3. We emphasize that attacks against nuclear facilities have grave implications for nuclear safety, nuclear security, and constitute a serious threat to the integrity, effectiveness and credibility of the IAEA safeguards system and the wider global non-proliferation architecture.
4. We stress that attacks against nuclear facilities would adversely affect the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and international cooperation, and may result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the State concerned, including severe impacts on civilian populations and long-term damage to the environment.
5. We emphasize that silence in the face of attacks against safeguarded nuclear facilities undermine established international norms, erode confidence in the international legal order, and risk the normalization of such attacks.
6. We therefore reaffirm that nuclear facilities shall never, under any circumstances, be subjected to attack or threat of attack.
7. We call upon all Member States to stand united in upholding the integrity and credibility of the IAEA safeguards system, strengthening nuclear safety and security, and protecting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and international cooperation, by expressing a clear and unequivocal opposition to any attack, or threat of attack, against nuclear facilities.