4 hours ago
Last Updated:June 20, 2025, 21:03 IST
When asked whether Israel’s airstrikes had significantly damaged Iran’s nuclear capability, Grossi responded, “No, I wouldn’t say so."
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Image: AFP file)
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said there is no tangible evidence that Tehran is actively building a nuclear weapon as Donald Trump considers expanding US involvement in Israel’s military campaign against Iran. In an interview with Fox News, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed that Iran possesses enough enriched uranium for multiple warheads. However, he cautioned against equating that with proof of a weaponization program.
“We have confirmed that Iran does have, even now, enough material for several warheads. But this should not be equated with a nuclear weapon… We do not have at this point, if you ask me, at this time, any tangible proof that there is a program, or a plan, to fabricate, to manufacture a nuclear weapon," he said.
Rafael Grossi’s remarks come amid an intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, following Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. The IAEA has not been able to carry out on-site inspections since the attacks began but has continued monitoring activities via satellite imagery.
When asked whether Israel’s airstrikes had significantly damaged Iran’s nuclear capability, Grossi responded, “No, I wouldn’t say so. I think there have been a number of important military attacks and impacts… But it is very clear, and everybody agrees on this, that not everything has been taken out."
He added that while physical sites can be bombed, nuclear expertise cannot be erased by military force, saying, “One thing is the physical damage. But then there is the knowledge factor, and the fact that it is very difficult to roll back the knowledge that a country has acquired."
Despite the rising tensions, Rafael Grossi emphasized that a diplomatic solution is still possible as he said, “I believe that there is a way to take this danger — or this concern — out of the table in a negotiated way. I’ve been in conversations, very good conversations, with President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and with the Iranians as well. I believe there are ways in which we can make sure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon. I think this is ultimately what Israel wants and what the United States has declared."
He urged that diplomacy and international monitoring should not be sidelined by military escalation.
He said, “We are the international corps of inspectors, and we know what you would need to check in order to prevent this from happening. We believe that the opportunity should be seized, as President Trump said, but of course the space for that is narrowing."
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world UN Nuclear Chief Says No Proof Iran Is Building A Bomb: 'Have Enough Material But...'
