TEHRAN – The head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, in a letter to the executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Inger Andersen, has warned about the detrimental consequences of brutal attacks on Iran's nuclear plants.

Referring to their corresponding before and after the beginning of the US-Israeli war against the country, Ansari voiced her deep concerns regarding the ongoing violation of the International Humanitarian Law by the two aggressors. 

“Following our previous correspondence prior to and after the onset of the illegal and unprovoked aggression by the two outlaw regimes of the United States of America and the Zionist regime regarding the dangerous environmental dimensions of these aggressive acts, it is with deep regret and profound concern that I wish to inform you that during the days of this blatant international lawbreaking, and in continuation of other committed war crimes, these two regimes have carried out seven airstrikes against peaceful nuclear facilities of which three have been on Bushehr nuclear power plant,” Ansari said. 

“As you are well aware, any military action against active nuclear facilities is strictly prohibited under all laws of the civilized world and the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 

Such actions can lead to catastrophic consequences resulting from the leakage and radiation of nuclear materials, causing lasting and irreversible damage to the environment. The natural life cycle and environment in two of the world's highly important bodies of water, the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, have been exposed to damage for years due to the presence of extra-regional military forces. 

Furthermore, the entire West Asia region has been severely affected over the past month by the military campaigns and illegal military aggression of these two regimes. 

Experts estimate that the carbon footprint generated in just the first two weeks of the war is equivalent to the carbon footprint of 60 countries for an entire year. Unfortunately, the international institutions responsible for safeguarding global peace and security, and the environment have thus far refrained from even condemning this illegal military aggression. 

Instead of an explicit and clear condemnation of the aggressor, their highest efforts have merely amounted to expressing concern. However, in a situation where peaceful nuclear facilities are not only threatened but recklessly attacked, silence and inaction are largely considered complicity with the aggressor and a betrayal of the ideals and principles of the civilized world. 

This will be recorded as a dark mark on the record of international institutions, particularly those responsible for the environment, and will destroy the trust of nations in them. Hereby, while expressing our gratitude for the initial statement issued, we urgently request that, alongside explicitly and clearly condemning these aggressions, you take immediate action to convene emergency meetings of the world's environment ministers and to compel the aggressors to halt their war crimes.”