The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has warned that Iran retains the capacity to restart uranium enrichment in just a matter of months, despite recent U.S. military strikes targeting the country’s nuclear infrastructure.
Grossi’s comments challenge former U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertions that American actions had significantly set back Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
The statement adds weight to early assessments from the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency, which indicated that the strikes, though damaging, failed to completely dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
The report, first revealed by CNN, suggests that while there was some destruction, the core elements of the program remain intact and could quickly be reactivated.
Tensions escalated earlier this month during a 12-day conflict involving Israel and Iran. The hostilities began with an Israeli military operation aimed at curbing Iran’s potential development of nuclear weapons—an allegation Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear activities are strictly for peaceful purposes.
In response, the U.S. launched strikes on three major nuclear facilities in Iran before a ceasefire took effect.
Despite repeated claims from Trump that the operation “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities, the effectiveness of the strikes remains under debate. U.S. military officials have yet to provide comprehensive evidence to support the claim that the program was completely neutralized.
In an interview with CBS News, Grossi emphasized that Iran’s industrial and technological infrastructure for uranium enrichment remains largely in place.
He cautioned that if Tehran decides to resume its nuclear activities, it could restart the process within months, potentially deploying centrifuges to produce enriched uranium.
“It is clear that there has been severe damage, but it’s not total damage,” Grossi said. He reiterated the IAEA’s need for full access to Iranian nuclear sites, noting that prior to the recent conflict, Tehran had provided some cooperation, but key questions remained unanswered—particularly regarding traces of uranium found at undeclared sites.
Grossi also mentioned that Iran had not offered credible explanations about the presence of enriched uranium in locations not officially listed as nuclear facilities, raising longstanding concerns within the IAEA.
Amid the international scrutiny, Iran has moved to further restrict transparency around its nuclear program. The Iranian parliament recently approved legislation suspending cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
Additionally, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran may reconsider its participation in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the key international accord preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.
As tensions persist, the international community continues to monitor developments, while the IAEA calls for renewed dialogue and access to assess the true state of Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The White House has yet to respond publicly to Grossi’s recent remarks.
