Following Israel’s attack on Iran, The International Atomic Energy Agency reported the airstrikes damaged key Iranian nuclear facilities. The attack on nuclear diplomacy has likely set Iran’s uranium fuel cycle by months as per United Nations.
IAEA Director General Rafael Marianao Grossi told the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that Israel destroyed Iran’s main nuclear-fuel site in Natanz. IAEA also confirmed that among the multiple strikes struck Iran’s uranium-conversion facility at Isfahan, near Tehran, cause grave damage to the site.
Impact on Iran
Isfahan is the only location in Iran that converts uranium into feedstock essential for centrifuges. It is a process which separates uranium isotopes to kickstart nuclear power or bombs.
This critical attack not only freezes Iran’s nuclear site but also the production of further product. However, the clash has had no effect on stockpiles while limiting Iran’s potential to amp up their position. The attack did not take out the primary underground halls, the site for uranium enrichment.
Risk for Netanyahu
As per officials, this attack could drag Iran’s existing military campaign and nuclear diplomacy further down. This also triggers a loss of UN-backed inspectors and potentially hardening Tehran’s resolve.
However, Iran replied with drones and strikes in Israel’s Tel Aviv, Jordan and Jerusalem. Sounds of explosion, sightings of drones were observed across key areas in Israel. Iran’s supreme leader also reported a loss of six nuclear scientists and three military leaders who were reportedly the most powerful men of the country.
US-Iran Talks
Meanwhile, following the Iran-Israel crisis, both US and Russia leaders had an uncanny consensus. Both Trump and Putin agreed that the clash needs to stop. However, the talks scheduled for Sunday, were called off between US and Iran, which would have been a crucial moment for nuclear diplomatic bilateral talks.
“There’s obviously not yet a full assessment,” said Suzanne Maloney, a vice president at the Washington-based Brookings Institution. But the combination of strikes and the killing of key security and nuclear personnel is “going to make it very difficult for Iran to reconstitute the program to the level that it was at prior to these attacks,” she said.
Seeking credit yet again, Trump commented that he worked hard to prevent bloodshed. “I tried to save Iran”, he added. Trump further reiterated his stand about his opposition to Iran’s ownership of nuclear weapons.
