All news

Iran has material to create more than one nuclear bomb, IAEA reveals

In November, Iran stated that it would reconsider its agreements with the IAEA in light of its adoption of a resolution urging Tehran to immediately explain the origin of nuclear material found earlier at the country’s facilities and provide relevant documents and access to those locations

ROME, December 2. /TASS/. Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi is disappointed that his organization has not been able to monitor Iran’s nuclear program for almost two years.

Iran has enough materials to create more than one nuclear bomb, he said at Milan’s Polytechnic University on Friday. "Nowadays, Iran has sufficient nuclear materials to create more than one bomb. This does not mean that they are making a bomb but complete transparency is necessary here," he said. "The IAEA continues to work on controlling Iran’s use of nuclear [materials]. We provide the country with every opportunity to clarify our doubts that emerge and to submit the missing information. Unfortunately, since February 23, 2021, Iran has not been observing its obligations, so for almost two years the IAEA has not been able to conduct inspections and monitor work on the enrichment of uranium," he added.

In an interview with Italy’s La Repubblica daily published on Friday, the IAEA’s chief noted that "the situation is complex with Iran at the moment." "We planned a visit for late November in order to inspect three facilities but Iran stopped the mission. The situation has come to a standstill with Iran announcing it has tripled the production of enriched uranium," Grossi said.

In 2015, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran in order to address the crisis around its nuclear program. In 2018, then-US President Donald Trump decided to pull out of the deal, with Washington slapping its most sweeping sanctions ever on Tehran. Incumbent US leader Joe Biden has repeatedly indicated his support for reentering the nuclear agreement. Since last April, Russia, the UK, Germany, China, the US and France have been conducting discussions with Iran in Vienna on reviving the JCPOA in its original form.

In November, Iran stated that it would reconsider its agreements with the IAEA in light of its adoption of a resolution urging Tehran to immediately explain the origin of nuclear material found earlier at the country’s facilities and provide relevant documents and access to those locations. The document was drafted by the United States and three European countries (the United Kingdom, France and Germany). Iran perceived it as an instrument to put political pressure on the Islamic republic. Following this, Iran started enriching uranium to 60% at its Fordow nuclear facility.