Vienna: Iran has the capacity to start enriching uranium again for a possible bomb – in “a matter of months”, head of UN’s nuclear watchdog said.
This development comes amid ongoing tensions following recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear sites by Israel and the United States.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the US strikes on three Iranian sites last weekend had caused severe but “not total” damage, contradicting Donald Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear facilities were “totally obliterated”.
“Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there,” Grossi said on Saturday.
Israel attacked nuclear and military sites in Iran on 13 June, claiming Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon. The US later joined the strikes, dropping bombs on Iran’s three nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.
Following the strikes, Iran’s government has sent mixed signals about the extent of the damage, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei claiming the attacks achieved little, while Iran’s foreign minister described the damage as “excessive and serious.”
The IAEA, meanwhile, remains committed to diplomatic negotiations, with Grossi expressing hope to engage with Tehran despite the tensions. He emphasized that a long-term solution must be diplomatic, especially considering Iran’s breach of the 2015 nuclear deal, which restricted uranium enrichment levels and activities.
In response to recent developments, Iran has imposed restrictions on IAEA inspections, including denying Grossi access to nuclear facilities and refusing to allow the installation of monitoring cameras, citing concerns over malicious intent.
Iranian Foreign Minister stated that Grossi’s visit would be pointless and may be motivated by malicious intent.
Additionally, Iran’s parliament has moved to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, accusing the agency of bias in favor of Israel and the U.S.
