Nuclear watchdog chief: Iran's atomic sites suffered ‘enormous damage', Fordow ‘no longer operational'

Indian Express

3 hours ago

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed that Israeli strikes earlier this month caused 'very significant physical damage' to Iran's nuclear infrastructure. In an interview with RFI's Le Grand Invité International on June 26, Grossi said the facilities at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow — central to Iran's uranium enrichment operations — had been hit hard.
'I think 'annihilated' is too much. But it suffered enormous damage,' Grossi said, emphasising that while some sites remained intact, the affected facilities were among the most critical to Iran's nuclear program.
Responding to US President Donald Trump's claim that the strikes had delayed Iran's nuclear capabilities by 'several decades,' Grossi referenced past intelligence misjudgments. He said such timelines are highly subjective.
'This chronological approach… has a not-so-happy tradition… It depends on the parameters you want to apply.'
Using satellite imagery and institutional knowledge of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, the IAEA has made preliminary assessments of the damage. At Fordow, a major underground enrichment facility, Grossi said images showed evidence of high-penetration bomb strikes, likely destroying key equipment.
Describing the enrichment hall as 'no longer an operational facility,' he said:
'These centrifuges are fairly precise machines… the vibrations have completely destroyed them.'
Grossi also addressed concerns over Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, which was measured at over 400 kilograms just before the conflict. He confirmed IAEA inspectors were present until June 12—one day before the strikes—and had conducted daily inventories.
Iran had signalled it would take protective measures, he said, likely indicating it moved the uranium to secure locations.
Following the ceasefire, Grossi sent a diplomatic request to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to begin coordinating the inspectors' return. However, he said, no response has been received so far.
The situation became more precarious after Iranian lawmakers voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, accusing the agency of bias for not condemning the Israeli strikes. Grossi warned that such a move would constitute a breach of international obligations.
Noting that unilateral suspension would place Iran outside the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), he said:
'The agency's presence in Iran is not some kind of generous gesture… It is a legal obligation.'
If inspections continue to be blocked, Grossi said he may be forced to convene the IAEA Board of Governors.
Meanwhile, Trump accused Democrats of leaking classified details about the US strikes on Iran. In a Truth Social post, he said 'They should be prosecuted.' Separately, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has staunchly defended the strikes, claiming they 'decimated… obliterated' the country's nuclear program — despite early intelligence reports suggesting otherwise.
(Source: RFI – Le Grand Invité International)