The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, announced his deep concern about the possibility of Israel targeting Iranian nuclear sites, in response to a drone missile attack carried out by Iran on Tel Aviv.

Grossi made his statements during a press conference on the sidelines of a UN Security Council meeting devoted to discussing the situation at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

Grossi stressed that Iran has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the closure of all nuclear facilities that are subject to daily inspections by the agency, “for security reasons.”

While Grossi explained that the closure was temporary for one day, he stressed that inspectors would not return to work until they ensured that "the situation had completely calmed down."

Grossi called on all parties to exercise "utmost restraint" in light of the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.

Israel accuses Iran of seeking to possess a nuclear weapon, while Iran affirms the peaceful nature of its nuclear program and insists on using it for civilian purposes.

Israel has previously targeted nuclear facilities in the region. It bombed the Tammuz reactor in Iraq in 1981, and struck a reactor under construction in Syria in 2007.

Any Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities could lead to a widespread humanitarian and environmental catastrophe, and could also cause a comprehensive military escalation between Iran and Israel. Which could drag the region into a regional war.

The possibility of Israel targeting Iranian nuclear sites poses a serious threat to security and stability in the region and the world. Therefore, all concerned parties must take immediate steps to prevent escalation and give priority to the language of dialogue and diplomacy over the language of threats and violence.