MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil against attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities

Brazil underscores the urgent need for a diplomatic solution that interrupts this cycle of violence, Itamaraty said in a statement

The Brazilian Government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva strongly condemned the recent military attacks by Israel and the United States on Iranian nuclear facilities, labeling them as violations of the Asian country's sovereignty and international law.

Brasilia insisted that such strikes posed severe risks to civilians due to potential radioactive contamination and environmental disasters. It also reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful nuclear energy, especially in conflict-prone areas like the Middle East.

”Any armed attack on nuclear facilities represents a flagrant transgression of the United Nations Charter and the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Armed actions against nuclear facilities represent a serious threat to the life and health of civilian populations, by exposing them to the risk of radioactive contamination and large-scale environmental disasters,“ Itamaraty said in a statement.

The South American country further reiterated its historic position in favor of the exclusive use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and ”firmly“ rejected any form of nuclear proliferation, the document also read.

Brazil's Foreign Ministry also repudiated reciprocal attacks against densely populated areas, which have caused an increasing number of victims and damage to civilian infrastructure, including hospital facilities, which are especially protected by international humanitarian law.

”In reiterating its call for the exercise of maximum restraint by all parties involved in the conflict, Brazil underscores the urgent need for a diplomatic solution that interrupts this cycle of violence and opens an opportunity for peace negotiations. The negative consequences of the current military escalation could cause irreversible damage to peace and stability in the region and the world and to the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime,“ the declaration added.

Accusing Iran of being close to developing a nuclear weapon, Israel launched a surprise attack on the country on June 13, expanding the war in the Middle East.

On Saturday, the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear plants: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.

Iran claims that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and that it was in the middle of negotiations with the United States to establish agreements that would guarantee compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to which it is a signatory.

However, the IAEA has been accusing Iran of not complying with all its obligations, despite acknowledging that it has no proof that the country is building an atomic bomb. Iran accuses the agency of acting ”politically motivated” and directed by Western powers such as the US, France, and Britain, which have supported Israel in its war against Tehran.

In March, US intelligence said that Iran was not building nuclear weapons, which has now been questioned by President Donald Trump himself. Although Israel does not accept that Tehran has nuclear weapons, various sources have long indicated that the country has maintained an extensive secret nuclear program since the 1950s. This project would have developed at least 90 atomic warheads. (Source: Agencia Brasil)