New Delhi: “We did not find any elements in Iran to indicate that there is an active, systematic plan to build a nuclear weapon,” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director Rafael Grossi told Al Jazeera. The exclusive interview with Grossi is scheduled to be broadcast at a later time (9.30 GMT) today.
Grossi emphasised that no elements were found “to allow us inspectors to affirm that there was a nuclear weapon that was being manufactured or produced somewhere in Iran.” The IAEA chief also clarified that the agency does not have personal information on Iran’s nuclear scientists. He added that Iran’s claim that IAEA has leaked reports to Israel is untrue.
Earlier, IAEA had found proof that Iran carried out “a range of activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device” from the late 1980s until 2003. However, after 2009, there are no “credible indications” that it continued with these activities.
On June 16, Grossi had sounded a warning that escalating confrontation between Israel and Iran pose serious dangers to diplomacy and nuclear safety and asked all parties to exercise maximum restraint.
“Military escalation threatens lives, increases the chance of a radiological release with serious consequences for people and the environment, and delays indispensable work towards a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon,” Grossi had emphatically said.
On Wednesday, the United Nations nuclear watchdog confirmed that two Iranian centrifuge production facilities were hit during Israeli strikes. Iran stepped up its offensive against Iran even as US President Donald Trump said that Tehran should surrender unconditionally.
