Statement from IAEA chief: Iran not pursuing nuclear weapons, he says - assalamu alaykum
Assalamu alaykum. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, told the UN in New York that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, and he pushed back against what he called repeated misquoting of the agency’s stance.
He was clear: Iran “are not, and they were not,” attempting to build nuclear arms. Grossi said he often sees the IAEA misrepresented and stressed that the agency’s reports are technical, not political.
Grossi, who has led the agency since 2019, said cooperation with Iran has gone up and down recently because of political events, but Tehran has reaffirmed its commitment to the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty. He warned Iranian officials that cutting cooperation is not the right move, and welcomed their decision to stay in the NPT.
IAEA inspectors had to pull back temporarily during the “12‑Day War” between Iran and Israel in June for safety reasons, he said. Work to restart inspections has continued, and he highlighted an agreement reached in Cairo in September, brokered by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi, that has allowed inspections to resume. Grossi called the arrangement imperfect but functional, and said he remains in regular contact with Iran’s foreign minister and other officials.
On the strikes against Iranian nuclear sites in June, Grossi said damage to three facilities was “very considerable” and set back Iran’s nuclear programme, noting that such attacks make IAEA inspections harder.
He rejected media claims from Iran that IAEA reports caused regional tensions, saying it’s wrong to blame an international technical body for political events.
Finally, Grossi confirmed he plans to run for the UN Secretary‑General post when the time comes, saying he feels he can contribute at this critical moment and pointing to his experience leading the agency through crises.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/