Published on: 2026-10-23
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
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23 October 2026 Peace and Security
The war continues to create unprecedented nuclear safety threats at Ukrainian nuclear power plants. This was stated today by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, when presenting the agency’s 2025 report to the UN General Assembly. He also called on the parties to return to the negotiating table regarding Iran’s nuclear program and announced a breakthrough in relations with Syria.
Last year, IAEA inspectors conducted nearly 3,000 verification activities at more than 1,400 nuclear facilities and other locations. Approximately 250,000 units of nuclear material were under the agency’s safeguards. As a result, the IAEA was able to draw conclusions within these safeguards for 179 states.
Grossi reported that, thanks to direct interaction with the Syrian government, the IAEA was able to clarify and resolve issues related to the country’s past nuclear activities. He called it a “breakthrough after nearly two decades of uncertainty.”
As for the Iranian nuclear program, according to Grossi, the necessary technical preparation has been completed, and the basis for a diplomatic agreement exists. He called on the parties to double their efforts and emphasized that without the IAEA’s verification role, no agreement will be sustainable.
“IAEA inspectors must be able to return to Iran as soon as possible, and for this it is necessary to return to the negotiating table,” said the head of the agency.
Grossi also called the continuation and expansion of North Korea’s nuclear program a clear violation of Security Council resolutions.
Nuclear safety at Ukrainian NPPs
According to Grossi, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine – the largest nuclear power plant in Europe – remains in an especially vulnerable position.
“Frequent power outages, limited diesel fuel reserves for backup generators, and military actions threatening the plant and its workers undermine the seven fundamental principles of ensuring nuclear safety and physical protection during an armed conflict,” he warned.
The head of the IAEA reported that so far he has managed to secure from the parties eight agreements on local ceasefires. This has allowed repairs to be made to critical infrastructure ensuring the station’s power supply.
Experts of the agency are constantly present at all nuclear facilities in Ukraine: at Zaporizhzhia, South Ukraine, Khmelnytskyi, and Rivne NPPs, as well as at the Chernobyl NPP and in the exclusion zone. They maintain nuclear safety and report on the situation at these facilities. In total, agency staff have conducted 287 missions, provided equipment worth 27 million euros, and offered medical and psychological support to the plant personnel.
According to Grossi, what began as an emergency response has turned into one of the largest nuclear safety assistance programs in the history of the IAEA. He emphasized that even in the midst of the most severe conflicts, dialogue and technical expertise help prevent a nuclear catastrophe.
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