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IAEA chief says Iran is close to going nuclear

On April 14, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced that Grossi is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on the evening of April 16 for meetings with Araghchi and Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran

PARIS, April 16. /TASS/. Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has expressed concerns that Iran is nearing the capability to develop its own nuclear weapons. In an interview with Le Monde, Grossi stated, "While Iran possesses sufficient materials to create not just one, but several bombs, it has not yet developed nuclear weapons. It’s akin to a jigsaw puzzle: they have all the pieces, and some day, they could assemble them. Although it may take some time, we must recognize that they are not far from achieving this goal."

Grossi noted that the IAEA has observed significant progress in Iran’s nuclear activities over the past four years.

He emphasized that any negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding Tehran's nuclear program would be futile without a robust framework for independent verification and monitoring, which only the IAEA is able to provide. "We are not directly involved in the bilateral discussions between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steven Witkoff, but we remain invested in the outcome. They understand pretty well that our assessment will be crucial to any potential agreement, as it will be our responsibility to verify compliance. That is why we have already engaged in informal discussions with them," Grossi explained.

On April 14, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced that Grossi is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on the evening of April 16 for meetings with Araghchi and Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

Previously, on April 12, Oman hosted talks between representatives from Tehran and Washington aimed at addressing concerns surrounding Iran's nuclear program. The Iranian delegation was led by Araghchi, while the U.S. delegation was headed by Witkoff. According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the meeting proceeded in a constructive and calm atmosphere, with both parties agreeing to continue consultations. A second round of discussions is set to take place in Oman on April 19.

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