The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog says recent US strikes on Iran did not completely dismantle Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, warning that Iran could resume enriching uranium “in a matter of months.”
This directly challenges former President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the strikes set Iran’s ambitions back by decades.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), indicated that while the attacks caused significant damage, Iran’s industrial and technological infrastructure remains largely intact.
“They can have, in a matter of months, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium,” Grossi told CBS. “It is clear that there has been severe damage, but it’s not total damage.”
Grossi’s remarks align with early assessments from the US Defense Intelligence Agency, suggesting the strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites likely delayed the program by only a few months.
The 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran began when Israel launched attacks it said were aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran maintains its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes. The US later targeted three critical Iranian nuclear sites before a ceasefire took effect.
Despite Trump’s assurances that nothing was moved ahead of the strikes, initial Pentagon reports indicated Iran may have relocated some enriched uranium. Grossi noted, “It’s logical to presume that when they announce protective measures, this could be part of it. But we don’t know where this material could be.”
Grossi also emphasized that the IAEA had not seen evidence of an active Iranian nuclear weapons program but had long-standing unanswered questions about traces of enriched uranium found at undeclared sites. “We were simply not getting credible answers,” he said.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament has moved to halt cooperation with the IAEA, and officials have suggested reconsidering the country’s membership in the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which bars signatories from pursuing nuclear weapons.
Grossi underscored the need for continued international inspections to ensure transparency, warning that the situation remains fragile.
