TEHRAN – Mohamed ElBaradei, the former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has told German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul that he must be aware that strikes on nuclear facilities are “prohibited under Article 56 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions.”

ElBaradei, who headed the IAEA from 1997 to 2009, made the remarks after German Foreign Minister wrote on his X post that “Israel has carried out targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.”

Responding on his X account, ElBaradei said, “Did anyone tell you sir that “targeted strikes against nuclear facilities” are prohibited under article 56 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions to which Germany is a party, and that the use of force in international relations is generally prohibited in article 2(4) of the @UN Charter with the exception of the right of self defense in the case of armed attack or upon authorization by the Security Council in the case of collective security action. You might want to familiarize yourself with the basic tenets of international law…”