The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has warned that Iran is edging closer to the capability of producing a nuclear bomb, just hours ahead of his scheduled visit to Tehran.
In an interview published Wednesday by Le Monde, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), acknowledged that Iran had not yet developed a nuclear weapon but was nearing the threshold.
“They’re not far from it, you have to acknowledge,” Grossi said, emphasizing the progress Iran has made in its nuclear program. He compared the process of developing a nuclear weapon to assembling a jigsaw puzzle,noting that Iran “has the pieces and they could eventually put them together one day.”
Grossi is expected to hold high-level talks with Iranian officials later Wednesday. The visit comes at a critical moment amid stalled diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The IAEA has played a central role in monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities under the framework of the JCPOA. The accord unraveled in 2018 after then-U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. Since then, Iran has gradually expanded its nuclear program beyond the limits set by the agreement.
Grossi’s comments mark a stark reminder of growing international concern over Iran’s nuclear intentions and capabilities. His trip to Iran is seen as a last-ditch effort to restore cooperation and re-establish transparency between Tehran and the international community.
