Indonesia Warns That Attacks On Iran's Nuclear Facilities Could Trigger A Humanitarian Disaster

JAKARTA - Israel's attack targeting Iran's military and nuclear facilities not only violates territorial sovereignty and integrity as well as international law, but can also trigger a humanitarian disaster.

Israel launched airstrikes in the "Raising Lion" operation that it claimed targeted Iranian military and nuclear facilities in the early hours of Friday last week. The attack sparked retaliation from Iran and until early Wednesday attacks on each other are still ongoing.

"The Indonesian government condemns the Israeli attack on Iran and this is a violation of Iran's territorial integrity and sovereignty," said spokesman for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rolliansyah "Roy" Soemirat in a press statement via zoom from Russia, Wednesday, June 18.

One of the concerns of the Indonesian government in the Israeli attack, according to Roy, is the security and safety of Iran's nuclear installation.

"As international rules apply, in this case what UN members agreed to and issued by the IAEA, in any situation nuclear installation cannot be attacked, because it can endanger human safety and damage the environment," said Roy.

"Attacks or threats of attacks on nuclile installations will endanger the regime of non-proliferation regimes of nuclear weapons currently in high demand along with all parties at Nuclear Weapons Non-Proliferation Treatyes," he continued.

"The threat of attacks on nuclear institutions in Iran also certainly threatens the simplification of civilian residents, including Indonesian citizens, and has the potential to become a humanitarian disaster," said Roy.

He added that Indonesia and other countries were active in meetings in the IAEA conveying its position regarding developments between Iran and Israel.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack on Friday because it had enough enriched uranium to make several bombs in a few days, so it needed to act, quoted from The Times of Israel.

Israel is known to target three key Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow, as well as a number of scientists linked to Iran's nuclear research and development, as reported by CNN.

Tehran itself says it has the right to peaceful nuclear power, but its rapidly growing uranium enrichment program has raised concerns in the West and across the Gulf, the country wants to develop nuclear weapons.

"We defend ourselves; our defense is completely legitimate. This defense is our response to aggression. If aggression stops, of course our response will also stop," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday.

Iran itself before the attack held negotiations to reach a nuclear deal with the United States under President Donald Trump. Originally, the sixth round of negotiations would be held on Sunday 15 June in Oman.

"The latest dynamics in Iran in particular and the Middle East generally get the attention of the President of the Republic of Indonesia and the Minister of Foreign Affairs," said Roy.

"The Indonesian government will continue to issue the most appropriate policies regarding the attitudes taken by related actors in the current conflict," he concluded.