Iran Assessing Nuclear Damage and Launching Recovery Plan

Iran's Atomic Energy Organization is assessing the damage to its nuclear program following strikes attributed to Israel and the United States, according to a report by Iran's Mehr News Agency. Mohammad Eslami, the head of the organization, stated that Iran has developed a recovery plan to prevent disruptions to production and service processes.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi revealed that the United States launched large-scale precision strikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities – Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan – last week. The Natanz centrifuge hall was reportedly the first to be hit, “suffering severe damage.” The Isfahan facility was also damaged, but no one has yet entered the hall to assess the extent of the damage.

Concerns Rise Over Missing Enriched Uranium

Prior to the strikes, Iranian officials stated that they had moved nearly 900 pounds of potential enriched uranium to a safe location as a precautionary measure. Grossi admitted on Fox News that the IAEA does not know the specific location of this material.

He explained that Iranian officials told him they were taking protective measures, which may or may not include moving the material. Grossi emphasized that the IAEA needs to know the whereabouts of every gram of uranium in Iran and called for the resumption of verification activities as soon as possible, stating that it is in everyone's interest.

Focus on Tracking Nuclear Materials

While US Vice President JD Vance believes the operation would be considered successful if Iran lost the ability to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels, Grossi emphasized that the IAEA's responsibility is different: tracking the location of the materials. He stressed that Iran is obligated to declare all nuclear materials, and that this is his continuous work.

Although the IAEA investigation is not directly targeting Iran, the disappearance of 900 pounds of enriched uranium has become a new point of tension in the US-Iran nuclear standoff. The complexities surrounding nuclear safeguards highlight the importance of transparency and international cooperation.

Ceasefire Agreement Reached

President Trump announced on Tuesday that Iran and Israel have agreed to a comprehensive ceasefire. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stated in an interview with *The New Arab* on Wednesday that Iran's missile retaliation against US and Israeli attacks directly contributed to the current ceasefire agreement.

Amir-Abdollahian added that they believed the American involvement would make Iran surrender, but our strong response using “castle destroyer” missiles forced them to back down and offer a ceasefire through diplomatic channels. Amir-Abdollahian affirmed that Iran will not abandon its nuclear program despite attacks on nuclear facilities, stating that the program is transparent and under IAEA supervision. How these developments will affect regional stability and non-proliferation efforts remains to be seen.