Nuclear dispute: IAEA boss warns of attack on Iranian nuclear facilities

In the effort to limit the Iranian nuclear program, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, warns Israel of an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. These are extremely well protected and it would “require a very, very destructive force to damage them,” Grossi told the Israeli broadcaster i24news. He made it clear that such an attack could backfire.

He also told the “Jerusalem Post”: “An attack could have an amalgamation effect, which, I say it very clearly, would consolidate the determination of Iran to strive for a nuclear weapon or out of the nuclear weapon blocking contract.” The top UN atom guard added that he said that because the Iranians had told him that.

Grossi asked the Tehran for transparency through the nuclear program. According to its own representation, Iran only pursues civilian purposes – western governments fear that the Iranian leadership is aiming for the construction of nuclear weapons.

“We lost the view”

Since Iran no longer cooperated with the IAEA, there has been a knowledge gap in the progress of the nuclear program, said Grossi: “We have lost the view, but the activities have never stopped.”

In 2015, Iran committed itself to drastically restricted its nuclear program. In return, western sanctions should be canceled. But the then – and today’s – President Donald Trump got out of the pact in 2018. Iran then raised its nuclear facilities again and restricted the cooperation with the IAEA.

The United States and Iran are currently negotiating a new agreement to limit the nuclear program – a new round of negotiations could be imminent in a few days. Trump said on Monday that it would continue on Thursday, but there were also reports on discussions on the weekend. Trump had threatened Iran with military violence if there was no deal. Israel is also preparing for a possible attack.