Iran may restart uranium enrichment within months despite strikes

Iran could resume its uranium enrichment program within months, despite recent coordinated attacks by the United States and Israel targeting its nuclear infrastructure, according to Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Grossi’s comments come in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that the strikes had pushed back Iran’s nuclear development by “decades.” Speaking on Saturday, Grossi noted that while several key Iranian nuclear sites had been damaged, others remain operational.

“In a few months, or potentially sooner, Iran could have several centrifuge cascades operating again, producing enriched uranium,” Grossi stated. He also raised alarm over Iran’s existing stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent—just below the threshold for weapons-grade which, if further refined, could yield enough material for over nine nuclear bombs.

He added that the IAEA is unsure whether this enriched stockpile was relocated or partly destroyed before the bombings, emphasizing the need for clarification.

The Israeli air campaign began on June 13, targeting both nuclear and military sites across Iran. Israeli officials claimed the objective was to halt Iran's alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons a claim Tehran continues to deny. The United States later joined the operation, striking three nuclear sites in Iran.

Following these attacks, Iran’s parliament decided to halt cooperation with the IAEA and rejected Grossi’s request to inspect key locations, including the underground enrichment facility at Fordow. The Iranian Ministry of Health reported at least 627 civilian fatalities during the 12-day assault, while retaliatory Iranian strikes killed 28 people in Israel, according to Israeli authorities.

Additionally, on June 23, a missile strike on Tehran’s Evin Prison reportedly killed 71 people, including military personnel, inmates, and visitors, according to Iranian judiciary sources. Many in Iran suspect the strike aimed to liberate detainees. However, critics argue that bombing the facility, which houses a mix of political prisoners, journalists, financial offenders, and foreign nationals, was a reckless move.

Evin Prison has long faced international condemnation. The United States sanctioned it in 2018, followed by the European Union in 2021, citing human rights abuses.