BY OUR FOREIGN DESK
THE WORLD’S nuclear watchdog has issued a chilling “no guarantees” warning over Iran’s atomic ambitions, as tensions in the Middle East reach a boiling point.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warned today that he cannot verify if Tehran’s nuclear programme is “exclusively peaceful.”
In a damning assessment, the UN atomic chief revealed that while there is no “smoking gun” evidence of a bomb being built yet, the Islamic Republic is sitting on a mountain of near-weapons grade uranium.
The IAEA boss hit out at the regime’s refusal to let his team of inspectors do their jobs, accusing Tehran of “blocking” full access to key sites.
”I have been very clear and consistent,” Mr Grossi said. “Iran’s large stockpile of near-weapons grade enriched uranium and refusal to grant my inspectors full access are cause for serious concern.”
He delivered a blunt ultimatum to the Iranian leadership: play by the rules or stay under the shadow of suspicion.
”Unless and until Iran assists the IAEA in resolving the outstanding issues, the Agency will not be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful,” he added.
Experts warn that “near-weapons grade” means Iran is now just a short technical step away from the 90% enrichment level required for a nuclear warhead.
Without “full access” for inspectors, Western intelligence agencies fear the regime could be hiding secret facilities away from the eyes of the world.
For years, the West has been locked in a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with Iran. Here is what you need to know:
The 2015 Deal: A landmark agreement (the JCPOA) originally limited Iran’s nuclear activity in exchange for lifting economic sanctions.
However, the deal collapsed in 2018 when the US pulled out under Donald Trump.
This refers to how long it would take Iran to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for one nuclear bomb. Since the deal collapsed, this window has shrunk from one year to just a few weeks or even days.
The IAEA’s Role: As the UN’s “nuclear policeman,” the IAEA is supposed to monitor Iranian sites to ensure no material is being diverted for military use.
This refers to the IAEA’s investigation into man-made uranium particles found at several undeclared sites in Iran. Tehran has so far failed to provide a credible explanation for where that uranium came from or where it is now.