Iran’s nuclear program has taken a substantial hit, according to Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who said in an interview on Tuesday that the country’s nuclear status has drastically changed following recent events.
Grossi, speaking to Fox News, remarked that Iran’s nuclear landscape today looks dramatically different from what it was before June 13. “It is clear that there is one Iran before June 13 — nuclear Iran — and one now,” Grossi said. “It is night and day.”
This drastic shift coincides with troubling news from the IAEA: nearly 900 pounds of uranium that could have been enriched is currently unaccounted for in Iran. The gap in tracking emerged in the wake of U.S. strikes on several critical Iranian nuclear facilities.
The United States military launched targeted attacks over the weekend on three major nuclear locations: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. According to Grossi, the Natanz facility’s centrifuge hall sustained “very serious damage,” while the Isfahan site was also hit.
Asked about prior speculation that Iran may have transferred enriched uranium to a historical site near Isfahan, Grossi clarified the IAEA’s stance and cautioned against assumptions. “I have to be very precise…we are the IAEA, so we are not speculating here,” he said. “We do not have information of the whereabouts of this material.”
Iranian officials told the IAEA that they implemented what they termed “protective measures,” which, according to Grossi, “may or may not include moving around the material.” He called for full transparency, adding, “So, it is quite obvious you are asking me about it, that there is a question there: Where is this? So, the way to asserting that is to allow the inspection activity to resume as soon as possible. And I think this would be for the benefit of all.”
On the issue of enrichment levels, Grossi agreed with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who previously stated that uranium enriched to 60% is still a step below the 90% required for nuclear weapons. “I wouldn’t argue with that because 60% is not 90%,” Grossi noted, while stressing that the location of the missing uranium remains the top priority.
“My obligation is to account for every gram of uranium that exists in Iran and in any other country,” Grossi stated, asserting that the probe into the missing nuclear material is not a targeted action against Iran.
He wrapped up by affirming the IAEA’s continued commitment to oversight. “My job is to try to see where is this material, because Iran has an obligation to report and account for all the material that they have, and this is going to continue to be my work.”
{Matzav.com}