UN Agency Warns of Nuclear Risk in Iran

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated that the agency has had no response from Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities since the recent military operations began. This breakdown in communication is a key reason for the heightened concern, as the IAEA cannot get direct updates on the status of sensitive sites. For years, the IAEA has monitored Iran's declared nuclear facilities, which include the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor, and uranium enrichment sites at Natanz and Fordow. The Natanz and Fordow facilities, some of which are buried deep underground, have been central to international concerns due to their role in enriching uranium. These sites have a history of being targeted. In June 2025, U.S. and Israeli forces conducted airstrikes on the Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, causing what U.S. officials described as "extremely severe damage." There have also been previous sabotage attacks, such as the Stuxnet virus that destroyed centrifuges at Natanz. The framework for international oversight, the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), effectively collapsed after the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018. In response, Iran began to progressively exceed the deal's limits on its nuclear program, and officially terminated the agreement in October 2025. Since the JCPOA's breakdown, Iran has significantly advanced its nuclear activities. This includes enriching uranium to 60% purity, a level very close to the 90% considered weapons-grade. The country has also installed more advanced centrifuges, increasing its enrichment capacity. The IAEA's role is to verify that nuclear material is used for peaceful purposes, but its access and monitoring capabilities in Iran have been curtailed since 2021. The agency has repeatedly stated it cannot assure that Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful due to a lack of transparency and cooperation.