MEDIA RELEASE: US attacks on nuclear sites are a dangerous escalation — Australia must not assist

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Australia condemns the United States’ reported strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran. This reckless action brings the world closer to nuclear disaster and underscores the urgent need to reject nuclear weapons and the cover they provide for military aggression.

Nuclear facilities, whether civilian or military, must never be targeted. Such attacks not only violate international humanitarian law but also risk severe radiological consequences for people and the environment—within Iran and far beyond its borders.

Iran is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and there is no evidence from the International Atomic Energy Agency or other authorities that Iran has developed nuclear weapons. Iran was also in full compliance with an agreement severely constraining its nuclear activities until the US walked away from the deal. Yet it has been hypocritically attacked by two nuclear-armed states: Israel—which has never signed the NPT and is widely understood to possess 90 nuclear weapons—and the United States, which possesses approximately 3,700 nuclear warheads. The United States is violating its disarmament obligations, as are the other eight nuclear-armed states. Such attacks risk pushing more states to pursue nuclear weapons.

“A military strike on nuclear facilities greatly elevates global risk and should be condemned by Prime Minister Albanese and Foreign Minister Wong” said Dr Margaret Beavis OAM, ICAN Australia Co-chair. “This escalation shows how quickly so-called ‘deterrence’ gives way to dangerous, destabilising force. We are playing with radioactive fire.”

“We call on the Australian Government to immediately rule out any logistical support for these operations, including by denying permission for US B-2 stealth or B-52 bombers attacking Iran to transit or refuel in Australia, as occurred recently during a US mission to attack Yemen,” said Gem Romuld, Director of ICAN Australia. “Australia must not facilitate, assist or enable these attacks — directly or indirectly.” 

If nuclear weapons were to be used in this conflict—whether by Israel   or the United States—the humanitarian consequences would be immediate and devastating. Even a single nuclear detonation over a city would kill hundreds of thousands of people instantly, overwhelm all medical systems, and contaminate the environment for decades. A regional nuclear conflict would cause a nuclear winter, massively disrupt global food production, drive famine and mass displacement, and risk further escalation. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists warns that we are closer to nuclear war than at any time since the Cold War—and recent events show just how quickly that risk can materialise.

“This is the terrifying reality of a world that continues to tolerate the possession of nuclear weapons by any state. The only path to safety is disarmament. Australia must urgently sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and stand against all acts of nuclear aggression” said Romuld.