Iran has formally complained to the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), over threats by Israel to target its nuclear facilities. The complaint was confirmed by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei during a televised news conference held on Monday. These developments come at a time of heightened regional tensions, as both nations continue to exchange military strikes and threats of further retaliation.
“Threats to attack nuclear sites are against U.N. resolutions and are condemned in the strongest terms,” Baghaei stated, underscoring Iran’s opposition to any military action that would target its atomic energy sites. He further added that Tehran had written a formal letter to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, demanding an urgent response to the Israeli threats.
This diplomatic move by Iran follows a recent escalation in hostilities between the two arch-rivals. On October 1, Iran launched a barrage of missiles into Israeli territory, an act that many experts saw as a calculated retaliation for Israel’s strikes on Iranian-backed militant groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The missile strike on Israel marked the second Iranian attack of this kind in 2024, and the situation is rapidly escalating into a dangerous tit-for-tat conflict.
In the wake of Iran’s missile strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement indicating that Israel would take all necessary steps to protect itself. Netanyahu, however, emphasized that while Israel would heed advice from its key ally, the United States, it would ultimately determine its actions based on its own national security interests.
The statement followed a report in the Washington Post, which claimed that Israel had communicated to the Biden administration that its military response would likely focus on Iranian military targets rather than nuclear or oil infrastructure. This suggested a calculated approach aimed at avoiding a full-scale escalation by steering clear of direct attacks on Iran’s nuclear capabilities, which are heavily fortified and closely monitored by the international community.
Nevertheless, Israeli leaders have repeatedly affirmed their willingness to take unilateral military action against Iran’s nuclear program if they believe it poses an imminent threat. Israel has long viewed Iran’s nuclear advancements with suspicion, alleging that the Islamic Republic is covertly working toward developing nuclear weapons, despite Tehran’s repeated denials.
During the same press conference, Baghaei reiterated Iran’s official stance regarding nuclear weapons, categorically denying any intention to develop them. “Weapons of mass destruction have no place in our policy,” he declared, a position Iran has maintained for years in adherence to its commitments under the global Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iran’s nuclear program, which it insists is for peaceful purposes, has been a point of contention with Western nations, particularly Israel and the United States, for nearly two decades. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations, including the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed in 2015, tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue to fuel instability in the region.
Baghaei emphasized that Iran would not change its official nuclear doctrine but warned that Tehran would decide on its own terms how and when to respond to any Israeli aggression. “Our actions will be in accordance with our national security priorities,” he said, leaving open the possibility of further retaliatory measures if Israel strikes Iranian interests.
The current tensions are part of a larger, more complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East, where Iran and Israel find themselves on opposite sides of several regional conflicts. Iran has been a key supporter of militant groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, both of which have been engaged in ongoing skirmishes with Israel for years.
In response to the October 1 missile attack, Israel has ramped up its military readiness, with defense officials warning that further Iranian strikes would provoke a decisive response. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have already carried out airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza, targeting Iranian proxies that pose a direct threat to Israeli security.
Iran, on the other hand, sees these groups as part of its broader strategy of “resistance” against Israel and U.S. influence in the region. Tehran’s support for Hezbollah and Hamas allows it to maintain pressure on Israel through indirect means, while avoiding direct military confrontation — a strategy that has worked for years but is increasingly being tested.
In a bid to ease tensions, Iran is also pursuing diplomatic channels. On the same day as the press conference, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi embarked on a diplomatic tour to Bahrain and Kuwait, two Gulf Arab states that have increasingly found themselves in the crosshairs of Iran’s regional ambitions. According to Baghaei, the purpose of Araqchi’s visit is to foster dialogue and explore ways to reduce regional tensions.
This diplomatic outreach comes at a time when many of Iran’s neighbors are aligning more closely with Israel, following the Abraham Accords brokered by the U.S. in 2020. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates were the first Gulf states to normalize relations with Israel, a move that has reshaped the political landscape of the Middle East.
For Iran, these new alliances represent a significant challenge, as they complicate its efforts to wield influence in the region. By engaging in diplomacy with Bahrain and Kuwait, Tehran may be hoping to counterbalance the growing cooperation between Israel and the Gulf Arab states.
Iran’s missile attacks on Israel, while provocative, also highlight the Islamic Republic’s significant military capabilities. Iran possesses a diverse and growing arsenal of ballistic missiles, many of which are capable of reaching targets across the Middle East, including Israel. In recent years, Iran has developed increasingly sophisticated missile technology, including precision-guided munitions, that pose a serious threat to its adversaries.
Israel, for its part, has invested heavily in missile defense systems such as the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and the Arrow systems, which are designed to intercept and destroy incoming missiles. However, no defense system is foolproof, and the sheer volume of missiles Iran can deploy makes it difficult to completely neutralize the threat.
Moreover, while Israel maintains a qualitative military edge over Iran, including advanced air and naval capabilities, Iran has cultivated a network of proxy forces across the region that can strike Israel from multiple fronts. Hezbollah, with its vast stockpile of rockets in southern Lebanon, remains the most potent of these forces, and it has already engaged in several clashes with Israel in recent months.
