“Israeli dark record of state terrorism, attacks or threat of attacks to the neighbors, and irresponsible and brutal behavior of Israel in the region... make it more urgent for the international community to put an end to nuclear capability of this regime,” Reza Najafi said on Thursday.
“Indeed, Israel has violated all international norms and regulations,” the Iranian envoy at the IAEA added. Najafi made the remarks at an IAEA general conference prior to a vote on a resolution urging Tel Aviv to join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and put its nuclear facilities under international monitoring.
The resolution, which was backed by 18 Arab countries, fell short of winning the support of the majority of IAEA member states. Countries present at the meeting of the Vienna-based IAEA voted 58-45 against the resolution, while 27 abstained.
The Tel Aviv regime, which is widely believed to be the only possessor of nuclear arms in the Middle East, reportedly maintains between 200 and 400 atomic warheads. Israel has never allowed any inspection of its nuclear facilities and continues to defy international calls to join the NPT.
