Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (right) shakes hands with Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi, before a meeting in Tehran, Nov. 14, 2024. (Credit: Atta Kenare/AFP)
The head of the U.N. nuclear agency, Rafael Grossi, told reporters in Vienna on Wednesday morning that his inspectors' top priority is returning to Iran's nuclear facilities to assess the impact of recent military strikes on Tehran's nuclear program, Reuters reports.
"My idea is to re-engage with Iran, why not," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director said, following news from Iran that its Parliament had voted almost unanimously to suspend coordination with the IAEA until security of its nuclear facilities is guaranteed."There's a chance for a diplomatic solution, an opening, we shouldn't miss that opportunity."
Addressing news that the Pentagon had U.S. strikes on Saturday had only set back the Iranian nuclear program a few months, Grossi responded saying, "I don't like this hourglass approach. It's in the eye of the beholder."
"In any case," he added, "the technological knowledge is there, the industrial capacity is there. That, no one can deny."
Asked if Iran had informed him of the status of its stocks of enriched uranium, particularly its uranium enriched to up to 60 percent purity, close to weapons grade, he pointed to a letter he received from Iran on June 13, saying Iran would take "special measures" to protect its nuclear materials and equipment.
"They did not get into details as to what that meant but clearly that was the implicit meaning of that. We can imagine this material is there," Grossi said, suggesting much of that material had survived the attacks.
