IAEA chief: Iran moving ‘rapidly’ to enrich uranium, mere ‘weeks’ to save deal

The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog says there are “weeks” left to salvage the nuclear deal with Iran, as US President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take office.

Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says at the Reuters Next conference that Tehran is advancing “quite rapidly” toward enriching uranium to 20 percent, as it has announced it would, in breach of the accord. He says the IAEA assesses Iran will be able to produce some 10 kilograms a month.

“It is clear that we don’t have many months ahead of us [to save the deal]. We have rather weeks,” he says.

If talks between the signatories of the accord are launched, “there will have to be a clear understanding on how the initial terms and provisions of the [nuclear deal] are going to be recomplied with,” Grossi says.

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi speaks during an AFP interview in Vienna on November 30, 2020. (Alex Halada/AFP)