IAEA has not claimed that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, Grossi says

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi said at a press conference in Vienna on June 8 that the agency has never claimed that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

According to Russia’s TASS news agency, Grossi said: “We have never said that they are doing that. We did not say it when we had access to their facilities. And we cannot say it now.” 

Grossi noted that Tehran had not always provided complete answers to the agency’s questions in the past. He added that, because of military hostilities, the IAEA has been unable to access Iran’s nuclear facilities for nearly a year, with the exception of a recent inspection at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.

Grossi also said he expects the agency to have significant influence on negotiations between the United States and Iran.

“I think it is clear that the IAEA has a very important role to play,” he said.

He added that the United Nations is not currently involved in resolving ongoing global conflicts and argued that the situation should change.

“We live in a world where conflicts are multiplying, and it is very sad to see that the United Nations is not participating in the resolution of those conflicts. In my view, that should not be the case,” Grossi said.