IAEA chief says inspectors still barred from damaged Iranian nuclear sites

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has said that agency experts have not yet been granted permission to access Iran’s main nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow, all of which were damaged in attacks last June.

Speaking to the Austrian newspaper Die Presse, Grossi explained that although IAEA inspectors remain in Iran, verification activities at the affected sites were suspended after the strikes.

He stated that “the main facilities suffered extensive damage, and inspections were impossible for security reasons,” noting that Tehran subsequently restricted its cooperation with the agency.

Grossi said the IAEA had engaged Iran in dialogue and held negotiations in Cairo, which resulted in agreement on limited inspection activity. Inspectors have since been allowed to visit facilities that were not targeted in the June attacks.

However, access to the heavily damaged sites at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow “remains unavailable,” he confirmed.

On the night of 22 June, the United States carried out strikes on the three nuclear complexes using GBU-57A/B bunker-buster bombs dropped by a B-2 strategic bomber.

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