U.N. Watchdog Says Iran Could Resume Enriching Uranium Within Months

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The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has warned that Iran could resume enriching uranium in a matter of months, despite recent US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities. The statement by Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), contradicts claims from President Trump that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated” by American military action earlier this month.

US Faces Renewed Nuclear Threat

Speaking to CBS, Grossi acknowledged that the US airstrikes caused “severe damage” but stressed it was not total. He explained that Iran’s technological expertise, industrial capacity, and stockpile of centrifuges would allow Tehran to restart enriching uranium quickly if it chooses to do so.

According to Grossi, “they can have, in a matter of months, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that.” The IAEA has been unable to carry out inspections since the strikes, raising uncertainty over the current state of Iran’s nuclear stockpile.

Before the US operation, Iran had accumulated over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, enough for multiple nuclear weapons if further refined. Experts fear Iran may have moved portions of this material to secret locations prior to the strikes, though the US administration disputes that claim.

Doubts Over the Effectiveness of US Strikes

President Trump and senior defense officials have repeatedly insisted that the strikes, which included bunker-busting bombs on underground sites like Fordow, “obliterated” Iran’s ability to pursue nuclear weapons. However, early assessments from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) suggest the damage only set Iran’s program back by months.

Satellite imagery and intelligence reports have fueled suspicions that Iran may have anticipated the attacks. Some Western officials say vehicle convoys seen outside key sites in the days before the strikes indicate materials were moved. Trump, however, rejects this idea, arguing that relocating enriched uranium is too dangerous and logistically difficult under such conditions.

Former IAEA officials caution that even with physical damage to nuclear facilities, Iran retains critical knowledge, resources, and undeclared stockpiles that could allow enrichment to resume. Grossi stressed that Iran is “a very sophisticated country in terms of nuclear technology,” and that “the knowledge is there.”

Iran Signals Defiance as Oversight Breaks Down

In response to the strikes, Iran’s parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA. Tehran has also hinted at withdrawing from the Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty altogether, a move that would significantly undermine global efforts to prevent nuclear weapons development.

Iranian officials continue to deny pursuing a nuclear bomb, claiming enrichment efforts are solely for peaceful purposes. However, experts point out there is no legitimate civilian need to enrich uranium beyond 60%, a level Iran had already reached at multiple sites before the strikes. Meanwhile, UN inspectors remain locked out, unable to verify the condition of Iran’s nuclear materials or facilities. The IAEA faces what analysts describe as a “cat and mouse” situation, with limited visibility into Iran’s next steps and the potential reconstitution of its nuclear program.

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