There is no evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, said Rafael Grossi, the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Grossi emphasized that Iran remains committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which he described as a “wise decision.” The remarks were reported by TRT World on Thursday (October 30).
Speaking to reporters at the UN Headquarters on Wednesday, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said, “Whenever a resolution concerning Iran is adopted — whether in New York or Vienna — a similar pattern of behavior is observed. Tehran reduces its level of cooperation with us.”
He called this trend “unfortunate” and said he has repeatedly discussed the issue with Iranian officials.
Recently, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom activated the so-called “snapback” mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions against Iran. In response, Tehran announced that it would reassess its relationship with the IAEA.
However, Grossi noted that Iranian officials have assured the agency they intend to remain within the framework of the NPT — a move he again described as a “smart decision.”
He also recalled that during the Iran-Israel conflict in June, the IAEA withdrew its inspectors from Iran for security reasons. Since then, efforts have been underway to rebuild cooperation with Tehran. Grossi said he maintains regular contact with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials.
When asked by journalists whether Iran was developing nuclear weapons, Grossi responded clearly:
> “No, Iran is not building nuclear weapons — and it hasn’t done so in the past. I want to make that absolutely clear.”
He explained that the IAEA’s June report confirmed there is no indication of any nuclear weapons program.
> “We have not seen anything that suggests there is an actual nuclear weapons development effort underway,” he added.
Earlier, on August 28, France, the UK, and Germany (the E3) announced they were activating the snapback mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions on Iran, accusing Tehran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The dispute has persisted since the United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018.
Meanwhile, Israel, the United States, and several European countries have long alleged that Iran secretly aims to develop nuclear weapons.
Tehran, however, has consistently denied these accusations, asserting that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and focused on electricity generation and civilian use.
