IAEA chief says Iran nearing nuclear weapons capability

The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has expressed concerns that Iran is edging closer to the development of its own nuclear weapons.

"Although Iran possesses sufficient material to produce not just one, but several bombs, it does not yet have nuclear weapons. It’s like a puzzle: they have all the pieces, and eventually, they could assemble them together. There’s still some time needed, but we must acknowledge that they are not far from achieving this," Grossi stated in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde, Caliber.Az reports.

According to Grossi, the IAEA’s observations over the past four years indicate that Iran has been steadily advancing in this area. He emphasised that Iran’s progress is something the agency has been closely monitoring.

When discussing the ongoing consultations between the United States and Iran regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, Grossi pointed out that any potential agreements between the two countries would be meaningless "without a system of independent verification and monitoring, which can only be provided by the IAEA." He added, "We do not participate in the bilateral dialogue between [Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas] Araghchi and [US Special Envoy Stephen] Whitcoff, but we are certainly concerned about it. They understand very well that our role will be crucial, as it will be up to us to ensure the verification of any agreement. Therefore, we have already had an unofficial exchange of views with them."

Grossi's comments come ahead of his scheduled visit to Tehran, where he is expected to meet with Iranian officials. On April 14, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, announced that Grossi would arrive in Tehran on the evening of April 16. During his visit, Grossi is slated to hold meetings with Araghchi and Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

Meanwhile, on April 12, high-level talks were held in Oman between representatives of Tehran and Washington regarding the future of Iran’s nuclear program. The Iranian delegation was headed by Araghchi, while Whitcoff led the US team. According to Iran's Foreign Ministry, the discussions were constructive and conducted in a calm atmosphere. Both sides agreed to continue their consultations, with a second round of negotiations scheduled for April 19 in Oman.

By Tamilla Hasanova