International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said Iran is not developing nuclear weapons – and has not done so in the past. “I want to be very clear. We are often misquoted, claiming that we said things we didn’t say,” he said.
The head of the IAEA noted that cooperation between the agency and Iran had its ups and downs for political reasons, but official Tehran has always remained committed to the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. “I told the Iranian side that reducing interaction would be a mistake,” he said.
Asked about the damage done to Iran’s nuclear facilities by the US and Israel, Grossi called it very significant, adding that it had set the nuclear program back. “Such actions make the work of IAEA inspectors much more difficult,” the international official said.
He also rejected claims that the IAEA reports encouraged the US and Israel to strike Iran. “You cannot blame an international organization for something it has nothing to do with. Our reports contain technical facts, not political assessments,” the Arab News website quotes him as saying.