'We are flying blind without Iran deal': IAEA

IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi called reaching a deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran as a need.

“It's "essential" to have a nuclear deal with Iran because otherwise "we are flying blind."

The Director-General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi sat down with "Axios on HBO" at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, ahead of Iran's June 18 presidential election and a June 24 extension on negotiations seeking to restore curtailed surveillance of Iranian nuclear sites and salvage the 2015 deal.

Asked whether he believes Iran has an active nuclear weapons program, Grossi responded, "No, there is no information indicating that at the moment."

But he raised concerns about Iran's stepped-up enrichment combined with the international community's reduced visibility in recent months.

"This is very serious," Grossi said. "When you enrich at 60%, you are very close. It's technically indistinguishable from weapon-grade material. So when you combine this with the fact that our inspection access is being curtailed, then I start to worry."

Grossi had previously claimed that Iran's safeguards were not transparent, claiming that this would affect the IAEA's ability to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. He also claimed at a meeting of the Board of Governors that his expectations regarding Iran's safeguards issues had not been met.

Iran, on the other hand, called on the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to distance herself from any political agenda and not to obstruct future interactions by adopting a unilateral approach.

MA/PR