International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has cautioned that Iran could restart the production of enriched uranium within a matter of months despite recent U.S. and Israeli strikes targeting its nuclear facilities.

Grossi said the attacks caused substantial damage to key sites, but warned that they did not eliminate Iran’s nuclear expertise or its ability to rebuild parts of the programme over time.

Speaking about the current state of Iran’s nuclear activities, Grossi said:

“The capacities they have are there. They can have, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium.”

He stressed that while physical infrastructure can be destroyed, scientific knowledge and technical expertise cannot be erased through military action alone.

Grossi also cautioned against assuming that the strikes had completely ended Iran’s nuclear programme.

He stated:

“One cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there.”

The IAEA chief emphasized the importance of restoring international inspections, arguing that transparency remains essential to determining the status of Iran’s nuclear activities and preventing further escalation.

According to Grossi:

“We need to return to the negotiating table and allow inspectors to resume their verification work because that is the only credible way to establish what remains and what comes next.”

He added that the agency remains committed to working with all parties to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme remains subject to international safeguards and oversight.

Grossi’s remarks come as governments continue to assess the impact of the recent military strikes, with experts divided over how severely Iran’s nuclear infrastructure has been damaged. While some officials believe the programme has been set back by years, others argue that Iran retains the capability to rebuild if diplomatic efforts fail.