By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS – Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday that his “number one priority” is for its inspectors to return to Iran’s nuclear sites to evaluate damage caused by recent bombing and to verify stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
Rafael Mariano Grossi was speaking to reporters in Austria after a briefing to the Government in Vienna.
Israel launched air and missile strikes against Iranian military and nuclear sites nearly two weeks ago, and the United States carried out surprise bombing raids on three Iranian uranium enrichment facilities this past weekend.
A ceasefire between Iran and Israel, announced on social media by US President Donald Trump on Monday night, is fragile but holding.
The extent of damage to Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile remains unclear, IAEA reported.
Iran informed the IAEA that it would take “special measures” to protect its nuclear materials and equipment after initial attacks.
Mr. Grossi told journalists that he has received a letter from the Iranian Foreign Minister which said protective measures have been taken.
“They did not get into details into what that meant, but clearly that was the implicit meaning of that. So, we can imagine that this material is there,” he said. To confirm this, and to evaluate the situation, “we need to return,” he added.
Iran’s parliament approved a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, according to media reports, which has to be approved by the executive branch of the Government.
Mr. Grossi said he wrote to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi requesting that they meet “to analyze the modalities” for inspections to continue.
He stressed that the international community “cannot afford” for the inspection regime to be interrupted.
Grossi was asked about Iran’s plans to withdraw from the NPT a key international accord aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
He stressed that the move would be “very regrettable,” he said.
“I hope this is not the case. I don’t think this would help anybody, starting with Iran. This would lead to isolation, all sorts of problems,” he added.
