IAEA Chief Offers to Visit Iran After Israeli Strikes on Natanz Nuclear Site
IAEA's Grossi offers to visit Iran after Natanz strike, confirms no radiation leaks. Urges restraint, warns against nuclear facility attacks. Stresses diplomacy as only path forward amid tensions.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, announced on Friday his readiness to travel to Iran to assess the situation on the ground following Israeli military strikes that targeted the Natanz nuclear facility, according to Reuters.
In a statement delivered during a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, Grossi confirmed that while the Natanz site had been hit, other major Iranian nuclear facilities—including Fordow and the Esfahan complex—remained untouched, as reported by Iranian authorities. He noted that radiation levels at Natanz were not elevated.
“I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation,” Grossi said. “I reiterate that any military action that jeopardizes the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond.”
Readiness to Travel to Iran
Grossi emphasized his willingness to travel to Iran at the earliest opportunity to personally assess the damage and ensure the continued safety, security, and non-proliferation standards at the country’s nuclear sites.
While he did not elaborate on the scale of the damage at Natanz or specify which sections were affected, he acknowledged that the complex includes a major underground uranium enrichment facility along with a smaller pilot enrichment plant on the surface.
According to IAEA assessments, Iran is currently enriching uranium up to 60% purity at the pilot plant—a level close to weapons-grade—though it produces smaller quantities there than at the heavily fortified Fordow site, which is located deep inside a mountain.
Dialogue Over Conflict
Despite the heightened tensions and ongoing military developments, Grossi concluded his remarks by emphasizing the necessity of diplomacy.
“Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions, it is clear that the only sustainable path forward—for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community—is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation,” he stated.
