Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, speaks during a press briefing at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Wednesday. (Joint Press Corps)


The International Atomic Energy Agency chief said Wednesday that any agreement requiring Iran to suspend uranium enrichment 황금성게임랜드 would be driven more by political trust than by technical necessity, stressing that rigorous international verification would be indispensable to any deal.
Speaking at a press briefing in Se 바다신2릴게임 oul, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said said there was no real difference in the duration of enrichment suspension, if such options were under discussion between Washington and Tehran.
바다신릴게임 “When it comes to a moratorium, it’s a political decision to be made,” Grossi said. “There is no big difference technically speaking, between 5, 10, 20 years. It’s a matter of political confidence wh 바다이야기다운로드 ether you go for a shorter, medium or longer period without enrichment.”
Grossi noted that he was not involved in the talks and could not confirm their content.
The talks came amid 사아다쿨 heightened tensions following weeks of conflict between the US and Iran that began in late February, which has disrupted global energy markets and strained a fragile ceasefire brokered by Pakistan.
The April 11-12 negotiations in Islamabad — the highest-level direct talks between the two sides in years — were aimed at stabilizing the ceasefire and addressing key issues including Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, deep divisions remain, particularly over uranium enrichment, with Washington pushing for long-term restrictions and Tehran insisting on its right to maintain enrichment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Grossi underscored that any eventual arrangement would mean little without IAEA access.
“Without verification, any agreement is just a piece of paper, or a promise,” he said. “Otherwise you will not have an agreement, you will have an illusion of an agreement.”
He said Iran’s extensive nuclear program would require comprehensive monitoring of its facilities and nuclear material, adding that the agency expects to be called upon to provide the necessary safeguards and verification.
On Iran’s current stockpile, Grossi said the agency believes most of the country’s uranium enriched up to 60 percent remains at facilities where it had been stored before last year’s 12-day war, particularly in Isfahan.
Grossi also issued a warning over North Korea’s nuclear program, saying the IAEA continues to observe signs of expanding activity despite the expulsion of its inspectors from the North in 2009.
“In our periodic assessments, we have been able to confirm that there’s a rapid increase in the operations of (the 5-megawatt reactor at Yongbyon as well as) the operations of the reprocessing unit, operations of light water reactor, and the activation of other facilities apart from Yongbyon,” he said.
“All that points to a very serious increase in the capabilities of DPRK in the area of nuclear weapons production, which is estimated at a few dozen warheads,” he added, referring to North Korea by its official name Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
He added that the IAEA had also observed the construction of a new facility similar to the uranium enrichment plant at Yongbyon, suggesting a potentially significant increase in North Korea’s enrichment capacity, though he said it remained difficult to calculate exact production levels without on-the-ground access.
Asked about the possibility of Russian nuclear technology support for Pyongyang, Grossi said the agency had not confirmed any such cooperation in the military domain.
“We haven’t seen anything in particular in that regard,” he said. “We have references to civilian nuclear projects, not anything related to nuclear weapons, as much as we could see.”
He added that if any nuclear cooperation exists between Russia and North Korea, the agency hopes it remains limited to civilian uses.
Grossi also said he was closely watching the possibility of renewed inter-Korean dialogue, calling it important that diplomacy be restored.
“We are also following with great interest the possibility of dialogue which must be reestablished between the ROK and DPRK,” he said. ROK the abbreviation for South Korea's official name Republic of Korea.
On South Korea's pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines, Grossi said it would require special arrangements with the IAEA to ensure that the nuclear material used for naval propulsion is not diverted for other purposes.
“This is why working with IAEA is so indispensable,” he said, adding that Seoul’s stated commitment to nonproliferation would be key to preventing concerns that the project could fuel a wider regional arms race.
Grossi also drew comparisons with other countries pursuing nuclear-powered submarines, noting that each case differs significantly in both technical and political terms.
In Australia’s case, the project is being carried out under the trilateral AUKUS framework with the United States and the United Kingdom, involving a division of roles among the three partners.
“AUKUS is a more complex mechanism because it involves three different players,” Grossi said, noting that Australia is leading submarine development while the UK and US contribute in different areas, including design and nuclear material support.
By contrast, Brazil’s program is largely domestic, with the country developing its own nuclear reactor technology while cooperating with France on non-nuclear components of the submarine.
“In the case of Brazil, it is entirely a national project,” he said.
For South Korea, however, Grossi said key aspects of the project were yet to be clarified, particularly regarding submarine construction and the sourcing and handling of nuclear fuel.
“The government has indicated very clearly its decision to move in this direction with collaboration with the United States, but there are areas ... which still to be clarified,” he said.
He also cautioned that developing nuclear-powered submarines was a long-term endeavor requiring extensive research, testing and regulatory coordination.
“These are processes that do not take place overnight,” Grossi said. “There will be a number of steps that are going to be taking place over the next decade or so.”
Grossi arrived in Seoul on Tuesday at the invitation of Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. He was scheduled to meet Cho later Wednesday to discuss global nuclear issues, including the Middle East and North Korea, as well as possible cooperation related to South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear-powered submarines.
As discussions between South Korea and the US are expected to precede progress on nuclear-powered submarines, Grossi’s meeting with Cho is likely to serve as an initial exchange of views. This marks Grossi’s third visit to South Korea since taking office in December 2019.