IAEA Chief Sounds Alarm On Iran's Nuclear Advances

The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi has warned that Iran has significantly moved towards the threshold of being able to produce a nuclear bomb.

In an interview with Germany's ARD television network in Vienna, Grossi pointed out that no country enriched uranium to 60% without intentions toward the development of nuclear arms.

In this conversation which was published on Friday, Grossi further elaborated that technically, enrichment at 60% poses nearly the same threat as 90%, which is the acknowledged threshold for bomb-grade uranium.

Amid the revelations, Grossi stressed the urgency for the international community to intervene and prevent Iran from continuing its nuclear pursuits. He also reflected on the complexity of Iran's nuclear program, describing it as sophisticated with multiple dimensions.

Furthermore, Grossi disclosed the IAEA's temporary halt to inspections of Iranian facilities due to concerns about potential Israeli retaliatory attacks, a pause that occurred on April 15. He underscored the limitations currently faced by IAEA inspectors, indicating that their activities are not as thorough as required, a situation he urged Iranian authorities to rectify by allowing full-scale inspections.

In a related development on March 7, the United States issued a warning to Iran about its non-cooperation with the IAEA, hinting at possible further actions by the agency's Board of Governors. During the board's quarterly meeting, which includes 35 member states, the US urged Iran to adhere to the agency’s requests for more detailed explanations regarding undisclosed uranium particles found at several sites.

Grossi, in a PBS interview on March 29, reiterated his concerns about Iran's maximalist approach to uranium enrichment and emphasized the need for diplomatic engagement to address the pressing issues.