Mon Jun 23 10:40:36 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text and a rewrite as a news article, keeping an Indian perspective in mind where appropriate:
**Summary:**
The Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran following reported attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities by both Israel and the United States. Grossi urgently requested the return of IAEA inspectors to Iran to verify and account for Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles, particularly the 400kg enriched to 60%. He confirmed that Iran notified the IAEA about implementing special measures to protect nuclear sites, and highlighted the substantial damage to the Fordo enrichment facility due to US strikes, especially with ground penetrating munitions, which makes underground damage assessment difficult. The situation escalates an already tense standoff over Iran’s nuclear program, which Western powers fear is aimed at developing nuclear weapons – a claim Iran denies.
**News Article:**
**IAEA Chief Urges De-escalation, Inspector Access Amid Escalating Iran-Israel Conflict**
**Vienna, June 23, 2025** – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has made an urgent plea for a cessation of hostilities between Iran and Israel, following reported strikes by both nations, and the United States, on Iranian nuclear facilities. Speaking at an emergency meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna, Grossi emphasized the dire need for peace in the Middle East.
“Iran, Israel and the Middle East need peace,” Grossi stated, highlighting the potential for wider regional instability. “First of all, we must return to the negotiating table and for that allow IAEA inspectors – the guardians on our behalf of the NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty) – to go back to Iran’s nuclear sites and account for the stockpiles of uranium, including, most importantly, the 400 kg enriched to 60%”.
Grossi revealed that Tehran had informed the IAEA of “special measures” being implemented to protect its nuclear equipment and materials. However, he stressed that IAEA teams required access to these sites to properly assess the situation, which is not possible with continuing attacks. Reports indicate significant damage to the Fordo enrichment facility, a key component of Iran’s nuclear program, due to ground-penetrating munitions. “Craters are now visible at the Fordo site, Iran’s main facility for enriching uranium at 60%, indicating the use of ground-penetrating munitions,” he said
The escalation follows a period of heightened tension surrounding Iran’s uranium enrichment program, which Western powers fear is a prelude to developing nuclear weapons. Iran maintains that its program is purely for peaceful purposes. Israel, which maintains a policy of nuclear ambiguity, is estimated to possess a significant nuclear arsenal according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The situation poses a complex challenge for international diplomacy. European powers have urged Iran to return to negotiations with the United States. For its part, Iran insists on a halt to Israeli bombardments as a pre-condition for any diplomatic engagement. The current crisis underscores the delicate balance required to maintain regional stability and prevent further escalation. As a leading voice for non-alignment and peaceful conflict resolution, India has historically called for de-escalation and diplomatic solutions in the Middle East.
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