IAEA Chief Warns Iran Nuclear Surveillance Is No Longer Intact

October 19, 2021

Author: 

Katrina Manson

Publication: 

Financial Times

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Raphael Grossi said on October 18 that he has not been able to speak directly with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabddollahian and that he needs to do so urgently. Meanwhile, Grossi said Iran's breakout time to having enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon is down to "a few months" and is becoming shorter as Iran employs more advanced centrifuges. He added that IAEA's monitoring system is "not intact" due to Iran's continued refusal to allow new cameras at a centrifuge manufacturing plant in Karaj. The plant was damaged in a June attack that Iran blames on Israel.