Fordow centrifuges 'no longer operational' following US strike, IAEA chief says

Centrifuges at Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility are no longer operational due to physical damage from recent US strikes, Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Thursday.

“Given the power of these bombs and technical characteristics of the centrifuges, we do know that they are no longer operational, simply because of the vibration, which causes considerable, important physical damage,” Grossi told Radio France Internationale. He said satellite images indicate the enrichment hall at Fordow was likely hit.

Grossi added that Iran has not responded to the agency’s request to resume inspections. “The agency’s presence in Iran is not a gesture of generosity, it’s an international responsibility,” he said, stressing that inspections are a legal obligation under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Iran’s parliament voted Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the IAEA. The Supreme National Security Council must still approve the move.