Atomic energy chief warns Iran could restart enriching uranium soon

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, warned that Iran could resume uranium enrichment within months despite recent Israeli and U.S. airstrikes targeting its nuclear facilities. While these attacks reportedly caused significant damage and set back Iran’s nuclear program by 5 to 8 years, Grossi emphasized that critical components of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure remain intact. He noted that Iran may have relocated some enriched uranium stockpiles prior to the strikes and that the country’s nuclear knowledge and industrial base have not been destroyed. Additionally, the IAEA has found traces of enriched uranium at undeclared sites, which Iran has yet to explain satisfactorily. Grossi cautioned against simplistic intelligence assessments claiming short-term setbacks, arguing that Iran’s technical capacity to restart enrichment is largely preserved. He highlighted concerns over an estimated 900 pounds of uranium enriched to about 60 percent—enough, if further refined, to produce roughly nine nuclear weapons. The situation is complicated by Iran’s suspension of