IAEA chief urges diplomacy after reported strikes on Iran nuclear sites, convenes Board of Governors session

Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told a United Nations meeting that recent bombardments at multiple Iranian nuclear sites and the risk of wider military escalation threaten the global nuclear nonproliferation regime and that the IAEA is ready to act to protect nuclear materials and restore inspections.

Grossi opened by saying, "the nuclear nonproliferation regime that has underpinned international security for more than half a century is on the line," and announced, "I have convened a special session of the board of governors of the IAEA tomorrow morning in Vienna to ... continue the consideration of this issue." He urged a return to diplomacy and inspectors: "We must return as the secretary general just said to the negotiating table and allow the IAEA inspectors, the guardians of the NPT to go back to Iran's…