The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is worried that Israel might strike Iran’s nuclear program in response to the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israeli territory, which was a reprisal for Israel bombing Iran’s consulate in Damascus.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told reporters on Monday that Iran temporarily closed its nuclear facilities on Sunday over security concerns and that the agency’s inspectors did not return to the facilities when they reopened on Monday.
“We are always concerned about this possibility,” Grossi said of a potential Israeli attack. He said IAEA inspectors would return on Tuesday. “I decided to not let the inspectors return until we see that the situation is completely calm,” he said.
Israel has a history of targeting Iranian nuclear facilities in covert attacks, including a 2021 drone attack that damaged IAEA cameras at a centrifuge facility, which impeded the IAEA’s inspection regime.
In recent years, Israeli officials have constantly threatened Iranian nuclear facilities and are always claiming Tehran is trying to build a nuclear bomb. But there is no evidence that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon, which was recently reaffirmed by the annual “threat assessment” released by US intelligence agencies.
“Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities necessary to produce a testable nuclear device,” the threat assessment reads.
Grossi also said on Monday that there’s no evidence Iran is trying to build a bomb. “As far as the agency is concerned, we don’t have any information or indication that there is a nuclear weapons program in Iran,” he said.
Iran is currently enriching some uranium at 60%, the highest level it has ever reached, which is still lower than the 90% needed for weapons-grade. Iran took the step to enrich at 60% in response in response to an Israeli attack on its Natanz nuclear facility in April 2021.
The Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, limited Iran’s uranium enrichment to 3.67% and imposed other strict rules on Iran’s nuclear program. But the Trump administration tore up the deal in 2018, and about a year later, Tehran began slowly enriching at higher levels. It took the step to increase to 20% in response to the Israeli assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in November 2020.
While Israel is constantly accusing Iran of having secret plans to build a nuclear bomb, Israel has a secret stockpile of nuclear warheads, and its program is not subject to any IAEA inspections as the country is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Don’t look at our 200 nuclear bombs, look at theirs. They’re terrorists.
…We? …How dare you? We were chosen to end the world. Can’t you see we’re working hard to start WWIII and bring Jesus back? …What’s that? Where did I get this from? …I don’t remember. Was it God himself?
More like the murderous psychopath refrain, “If I can’t have it, no one can”.
It seems that The Failed state created by the UN in 48 Is determined to bring about the End of days are upon us, This cannot end well , I expect it to use the first nuclear weapons since 45 when Iran counterattacks
Yes, undoubtedly, which also means along with Washington and Brussels. So it is a very plausible eventuality, and a very tricky and scary proposition the other players (principally Iran, Russia, China) are, as we speak, trying to navigate to forestall. … Putin, XI and Khomeini have done amazingly well, … so far. The must realize not just their own states, but the entirety of human life on earth depends on them. All I can do is pray.
All of us here will help you, except Jake and Julio and friends.
jake, Don Julio and Tim Burns are one and the same.
Also, George W. Bush and Taylor Swift. Now you know why you’ve never seen those two in a room together.
The free,healthy,growing,democratic state you refer to, has every right to defend itself
It is not a democracy. It is a theocracy. Any person who is not Jewish is a second hand citizen. Period. Michael Hudson:https://michael-hudson.com/2024/04/gaza-the-strategic-imperative/
Some predicted after the 7Oct breakout that Israel just may use tactical nukes on Iran. Then what? What would be the reaction by leaders of countries that border Iran as the radioactive material wafts over their country?
Bombing a centrifuge plant will produce highly corrosive hydrogen fluoride and highly radioactive uranium oxide.
Then they’ll put on their codpiece and strut around in front of the banner that says ‘Mission Accomplished’.
The IAEA is fulfilling its designated role of lap dog for the western cartel.
Maybe they are scared, the Zionists in Tel Aviv and DC are seriously deranged, no telling when they lose their marbles completely.
Zionism is double plus gooood.
Gooood for maiming babies, killing babies, starving babies, stealing the homes of babies. Oh so goooooooooooood.
You are one of them. Why can’t you admit it?
THAT IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER. ZIONISM is BS.
The people in Vienna the IAEA don’t think the Zionists have enough common sense and might strike the Iranian nuclear program?
Wouldn’t you know, they must think the Zionists in Tel Aviv are deranged?
Iran has a nuclear program. A peaceful nuclear program. Is not developing a nuclear weapon (should have for deterrent). Kennedy tried to stop Israel from making the bomb. Shortly before his death. So, count Israel, under Ben-Gurion, as one of those who wanted Kennedy dead. The Kennedy assassination was a coup.
It gets tiresome going over facts over and over again. As iif Israel listens to facts or is obading by any laws. It has proven beyond any doubt that it does not respect anything, nothing is sacred, nothing beyond the pale. US and all Western states — far from sounding convincing in their defense of Israel, sound more and more weak and humiliated. Donor classes have spoken.
And as for useful idiots — Evangelicals — how many know that their denomination is prohibited in Israel. Proselitizing is not allowed. And for those denominations that existed i.n Israel before the state of Israel was established — they share the fate of Palestinians. They are all Hamas. When an ancient Christian Orthodox Church was bombed, many parishioners, including children died inside. In Catholic church, parishioners were killed by IDF sniper fire.
And to think that Israel will not be tempted to take a horrendous risk in order to drag US to fiigh for greater, and still undefined Israel territory? Think again. This merely sends the message to the neighborhood — look what we can do to you. You all think Russia or China will step in to defend you?
I am not optimistic about Israel’s withdrawal. It is purely tactical. Just look at the gross ambibuity about food being alliwed to Gaza. No straight answer. Generic talk of famine — as if the one causing it cannot be named. Wait till genocide talk subsided. But still food delivery agency cars have been blown to smitherines. A definite message. Teo days in the news. And even non-existent medicine is being talked about, non-existent UN doctors and non-existent Doctors without borders. And even Israel’s drawing the line at the non-existent aid is part of non- debate and dullbess of comprehension. Just in case — Israel prohibits anesthesia, pain killers and — dipers. We are WELL beyong JCPOA discussion.
There is a precedent for such actions by Israel. Israel hit Iraq’s nuclear power plants.
The only plant they can hit is Natanz. All the rest are buried deep in mountains. But the reality is Israel doesn’t need to hit anything. All they need to do now is drop one missile on an empty Iranian beach and the Iranians will escalate. This is what Israel wants – a casus belli that the US can use to attack Iran.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, this has been the plan literally for years as Brian Berletic has established.
The IAEA isn’t worth dick. They can worry all they like, but they’re a regulatory entity with no teeth, just another entity created by the deep state to provide the illusion that its members care about the human race.