Sun Jun 29 15:10:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the interview and a rewritten version as a news article:
**Summary:**
In a recent interview, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi discussed the significant damage to Iranian nuclear facilities following U.S. bombing and the killing of Iranian nuclear scientists. Grossi confirmed the damage to facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, impacting Iran’s uranium treatment, conversion, and enrichment capabilities. He emphasized the importance of the IAEA’s return to Iran to re-establish knowledge of activities and access to materials.
Grossi addressed the possibility of diplomatic talks, stating the IAEA’s role in verifying any agreements reached, while expressing concern about Iran’s new law potentially restricting IAEA inspector access. He acknowledged that while Iran hadn’t kicked out inspectors, their concerns surrounding safety and security must be addressed. He also noted that Iran did not inform the IAEA about protective measures they took before the strikes, including the relocation of enriched uranium. Grossi reiterated the need for clarifications and a diplomatic solution, emphasizing that military action alone won’t resolve the issue. He admitted there were prior concerns regarding unanswered questions about uranium traces found at undeclared facilities and reiterated that the IAEA had never found that Iran possessed nuclear weapons. He cautioned against overly optimistic or pessimistic assessments of the damage, stressing that Iran’s existing knowledge and industrial capacity mean it can potentially resume nuclear activities if it chooses.
**News Article:**
**Iran’s Nuclear Program Significantly Damaged, Future Uncertain, Says IAEA Chief**
*June 29, 2025 / 9:46 AM EDT*
**Washington D.C.** – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi painted a concerning picture of Iran’s nuclear program in a recent interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation,” following U.S. bombing and reported Israeli targeted killings of Iranian nuclear scientists.
Grossi confirmed that the damage to key Iranian nuclear facilities, including those at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan, was “very serious,” significantly impacting the country’s uranium enrichment capabilities. While some infrastructure remains intact, he stated, there has been “an important setback.”
“What happened in particular in Fordo, Natanz, Isfahan, where Iran used to have and still has, to some degree, capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree.”
The Director General emphasized the IAEA’s need to return to Iran to verify the extent of the damage, re-establish knowledge of activities, and ensure access to nuclear materials. This comes amidst uncertainty surrounding Iran’s cooperation with IAEA inspectors. While the foreign minister said he had no plans to let Grossi personally enter the country, Iran is considering a new law that could restrict IAEA inspector access based on security concerns. Grossi urged diplomatic talks to address these issues.
Grossi also revealed that the IAEA was not informed about any protective measures Iran took before the military strikes, including the movement of highly enriched uranium. The location of approximately 400 kilograms of this material remains unknown, raising concerns about potential proliferation risks.
“We presume, and I think it’s- it’s logical to presume that when they announce that they are going to be taking protective measures, this could be part of it. But, as I said, we don’t know where this material could be, or if part of it could have been, you know, under the attack during those 12 days.”
While declining to offer a specific timeline for Iran’s potential nuclear recovery, Grossi cautioned against overly optimistic assessments, stating that Iran’s existing knowledge and industrial capacity mean it could potentially resume nuclear activities if it chooses. He stopped short of saying Iran was looking to weaponize.
“Iran had a very vast ambitious program, and part of it may still be there, and if not, there is also the self-evident truth that the knowledge is there. The industrial capacity is there.”
Grossi reiterated the need for a diplomatic solution, emphasizing that military action alone would not definitively resolve the issue. He underscored that only an agreement, combined with a robust inspection system, could provide the international community with the necessary assurances about Iran’s nuclear intentions.
The IAEA director dismissed accusations from Iran’s foreign minister that a recent IAEA report criticizing the lack of transparency was to blame for the military strikes.
“Who can believe that this conflict happened because of a report of the IAEA? And, by the way, what was- what was in that report was not new.”
The situation remains highly fluid, and the IAEA’s role in verifying Iran’s nuclear activities is crucial to regional and international security. Negotiations between Iran and world powers are currently stalled.
First Piper 