Additional Coverage:
- IAEA director says Iran’s enriched uranium can’t be located following US military strikes (foxnews.com)
IAEA Chief Uncertain About Missing Uranium After Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, has expressed uncertainty about the location of nearly 900 pounds of potentially enriched uranium in Iran. Following weekend strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Iranian officials claimed the material was moved as a protective measure, but its current whereabouts are unknown.
In an interview, Grossi stated the IAEA has no information regarding the location of the uranium. He emphasized the agency’s role is not to speculate but to verify Iran’s compliance with its reporting obligations. Grossi urged a swift resumption of inspections to address the issue and determine the uranium’s whereabouts.
The strikes, conducted by the U.S. military, targeted three major nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Grossi reported “very serious damage” to a centrifuge hall in Natanz, where enrichment activities were taking place. Damage was also confirmed at Isfahan, although the extent remains to be fully assessed.
When questioned about previous statements regarding the uranium’s potential relocation to a site near Isfahan, Grossi clarified that the IAEA does not have concrete information on the material’s current location. He underscored the importance of allowing inspections to resume as soon as possible, emphasizing that such transparency would benefit all parties involved.
Grossi addressed comments by Vice President JD Vance, who suggested that Iran’s possession of 60% enriched uranium, without the capacity to enrich it further to 90%, does not represent a nuclear weapons capability. While Grossi acknowledged the difference between 60% and 90% enrichment, he reiterated the IAEA’s primary focus is to account for all nuclear material in Iran. He stressed that the agency’s work in Iran is part of its broader non-discriminatory approach to nuclear safeguards globally.
While acknowledging the potential success of the strikes in disrupting Iran’s enrichment progress, Grossi reiterated the IAEA’s mandate is to verify and account for all nuclear material, and confirmed this will remain the agency’s focus.