Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has demanded that IAEA inspectors be allowed access to Iranian nuclear facilities to assess the country’s stockpiles of enriched uranium. He emphasized the need to inventory approximately 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. Grossi made the statement on June 23 during an emergency IAEA meeting at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to Deutsche Welle.
Grossi further revealed that on June 13—the day Israeli strikes on Iran commenced—Tehran had informed the IAEA in writing about the implementation of “special measures to protect nuclear equipment and nuclear materials.” Satellite imagery now reveals the presence of craters at one of Iran’s three main nuclear sites, Fordow. Considering the type of explosives used and the high sensitivity of centrifuges to vibrations, Grossi stressed that significant damage is to be expected. However, he noted that currently, no party, including the IAEA itself, can fully assess the scale of the destruction.
The agency also stated that following strikes on three nuclear facilities, including Fordow, there has been no detected rise in radiation levels outside the affected zones. Similar assessments were issued by Saudi Arabia’s Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission and Iran’s Nuclear Safety Center.
In an interview with Sky News on June 18, Grossi underscored that prior to the US strikes, the IAEA’s internal assessments found no evidence that Iran was actively attempting to develop a nuclear weapon. While Iran’s uranium enrichment had reached 60%—the highest level globally—there was no direct indication of weaponization efforts. Grossi clarified that this was reflected in IAEA reports, even though Israel had selectively cited passages that suggested otherwise.
Earlier we wrote that IAEA confirms possible leak of Israeli nuclear data to Iran.