The International Atomic Energy Agency suggests that the Iranian nuclear facility at Fordow has suffered “significant damage” as a result of Israeli and US strikes on it, but the exact extent of the damage cannot be assessed without access to the site, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said at the agency’s leadership meeting in Vienna on 23 June.
He said it could be assumed that centrifuges for uranium enrichment were severely damaged, given the explosive power and “extremely vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges.”
The IAEA chief added that additional buildings at the Isfahan nuclear facility were hit after the US strikes, among them some related to the uranium conversion process. Also at this facility, entrances to tunnels used to store enriched material appear to have been affected, Grossi noted. At the Natang enrichment facility, a fuel enrichment plant was hit, he said.
“Iran, Israel and the Middle East need peace. To achieve this, we must take a number of steps. First of all, we must return to the negotiating table and for that we must allow IAEA inspectors … to return to Iran’s nuclear facilities and report on uranium stockpiles, in particular, most importantly, 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent,” the IAEA chief said.
Grossi also spoke about a letter sent by Iran to him on 13 June in which Iranian authorities said they would have to take “special measures” to protect nuclear facilities and materials.
“In my response on the same day, I noted that any movement of nuclear material … must be alerted to the agency, as required by the agreement with Iran, and I expressed my readiness to cooperate with Iran on this issue … hostilities must be stopped so that the necessary security measures can be put in place so that Iran can allow IAEA teams into the sites to assess the situation,” the statement said.
Israel began strikes on the night of 13 June, while the US launched several strikes on the night of 22 June.
According to Israeli and US officials, the strikes caused significant damage to Iran’s nuclear programme. Satellite images show destruction on the ground. The New York Times, citing its sources, wrote on 23 June that the fate of 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, which was in Iran’s possession, is not known.
The newspaper claims that the Iranian authorities could have removed this uranium from nuclear facilities before the strikes, and where it is now is not known.
On Sunday night, the US army struck three of Iran’s nuclear facilities, Fordow, Natanz and the Isfahan plant. Earlier strikes were also carried out by Israel. On 23 June, Iranian authorities announced another Israeli strike on Fordow.
Tehran does not recognise Israel’s right to exist, and Israel considers Iran’s possible possession of nuclear weapons an extraordinary threat to the country.
Iran has repeatedly maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
However, according to the IAEA, Iran had more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 per cent, which is close to a level sufficient to build several nuclear warheads in a short period of time