Russia’s United Nations ambassador is claiming the Trump administration’s devastating airstrikes on Iran have opened a “Pandora’s box” and could lead to a global “nuclear catastrophe.” 

Vassily Nebenzia, speaking during an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Sunday, said Russia “vehemently condemns the irresponsible, dangerous, and provocative actions taken by the USA against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is a sovereign country and a U.N. member state.” 

“Through its actions, the U.S. has opened Pandora’s box, and no one knows what new consequences this may lead to,” Nebenzia said. 

“I think it is obvious to everyone in this chamber that unless we stop the escalation, the Middle East will find itself on the brink of a large-scale conflict, which is fraught with unpredictable consequences for the entire international security architecture. And the whole world could find itself on the verge of a nuclear catastrophe,” he added. 

Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia speaks during a United Nations Security Council emergency meeting in New York on June 22, 2025. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi also said Monday, “Given the explosive payload utilized, and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred” at Fordow. 

“At the Isfahan nuclear site, additional buildings were hit, with the U.S. confirming their use of cruise missiles,” he added. “Affected buildings include some related to the uranium conversion process. Also at this site, entrances to tunnels used for the storage of enriched material appear to have been hit.

“At the Natanz enrichment site, the Fuel Enrichment Plant was hit, with the U.S. confirming that it used ground-penetrating munitions,” Grossi said.

A map of U.S. strikes on Iran. (Fox News)

“Iran has informed the IAEA that there was no increase in off-site radiation levels at all three sites,” he added.