Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi has called for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to be able to return to Iran’s nuclear sites in a bid to “account for” its highly enriched uranium stockpiles.
Speaking at an emergency meeting of the agency’s Board of Governors, Grossi said, “At this time, no one, including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordow.”
The IAEA has not been able to carry out inspections in Iran since Israel started its military strikes on nuclear facilities there.
Grossi asserted that Iran, Israel, and the Middle East need peace. “For that, we must take a number of steps,” he added.
“First of all, we must return to the negotiating table and for that allow IAEA inspectors — the guardians on our behalf of the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty) — to go back to Iran’s nuclear sites and account for the stockpiles of uranium, including, most importantly, the 400 kilograms enriched to 60 percent.”
Rafael Grossi
Beyond the level of damage done to Fordow’s underground enrichment halls, one of the biggest open questions is the status of Iran’s stock of 60% enriched uranium, a short step from the roughly 90% that is weapons grade.
According to an IAEA yardstick, that is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons.
Also, Grossi stressed that the only way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons is through negotiations between all interested parties, as military strikes are extremely risky.
“I therefore again call on maximum restraint. Military escalation not only threatens lives, it also delays us from taking the diplomatic path.
“To achieve the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon and for the continued effectiveness of the global non-proliferation regime, we must return to negotiations.”
Rafael Grossi
Grossi added that he is ready to go to Iran immediately and start working there alongside a group of IAEA inspectors as soon as the first opportunity arises.
The group of specialists already present in the country needs reinforcement. He also said that he is ready to work with all interested parties to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities.
In his opinion, the IAEA has shown that it can perform its core duties and prevent nuclear incidents in other conflicts already.
“We may not agree on the reasons behind and even the consequences of the current crisis. But there is a common denominator that exists: First, we don’t want to see a nuclear accident; second, we don’t want to see more nuclear weapon states in the world.”
Rafael Grosi
IAEA Chief Expects ‘Very Significant Damage’ at Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Site
Moreover, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi told an emergency meeting of the agency’s Board of Governors that US bombing probably caused “very significant” damage to the underground areas of Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment plant dug into a mountain.
The United States dropped the biggest conventional bombs in its arsenal on three Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday, namely; Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
Grossi told the Board of Governors that given the explosive payload utilised and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, “very significant damage is expected to have occurred.”
“Craters are now visible at the Fordo site, Iran’s main location for enriching uranium at 60%, indicating that the use of ground-penetrating munitions. This is consistent with statements from the US.”
Rafael Grossi
Iran has notified the IAEA that there has been no increase in radiation levels outside Fordow, or the other two nuclear facilities that were attacked.
According to Iranian state television, Iran’s underground enrichment site at Fordow was again attacked today.
The IDF confirmed carrying out a strike against the access roads to Fordow, saying the bombings were intended to “disrupt” the site’s accessibility.
It came as Israel conducted airstrikes throughout the day in Iran.
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