Major Setback for Iran: IAEA Reveals Extent of Damage to Nuclear Facilities

The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, confirmed on Thursday that centrifuges at Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility are no longer operational following recent U.S.-led airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

In an interview with French broadcaster Radio France Internationale (RFI), Grossi revealed new details about the strikes — which began on 13 June — and their significant impact on Iran’s key uranium enrichment sites: Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.

These sites, he said, were central to uranium enrichment and conversion operations, but suffered extensive physical damage, making it extremely difficult to continue operations at previous capacity.

“When we consider the technical specifications and the power of these centrifuges, it is evident that they are no longer functioning at the Fordow facility,” Grossi stated.

Ambiguity Surrounds True Impact

While the IAEA maintains close knowledge of Iran’s nuclear facilities, Grossi warned that satellite imagery alone is insufficient to accurately assess the full extent of the damage, highlighting a persistent lack of clarity over how deeply the Iranian nuclear program was affected.

His remarks come amid escalating tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel, which — with clear American support — launched intensive strikes from 13 to 24 June on military, nuclear, and civilian sites across Iran.

According to Israeli and U.S. sources, the coordinated attacks inflicted major disruption on Iran’s nuclear progress, delaying development by several years.

Iran Responds to Attacks

In response, Iran launched ballistic missile and drone strikes on Israeli military and intelligence installations, and also targeted the U.S. Al-Udeid air base in Qatar — a strategic facility in the Gulf region.

These retaliatory moves preceded the 24 June ceasefire declared by Washington between Iran and Tel Aviv.

Contradictory Claims Over Damage

Tehran has limited its public statements to describing the damage as “severe,” without offering detailed assessments or confirmation of a halt in enrichment activities.
Iranian officials insist the Israeli-American strikes failed to achieve their objectives.

However, Washington and Tel Aviv maintain that the attacks significantly weakened Iran’s nuclear capabilities, disrupting enrichment operations and delaying the program’s timeline by years.