While global attention is fixed on military strikes in the Red Sea, the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog has issued a chilling warning: the world is ignoring a far more dangerous threat, as Iran is now just "a matter of weeks" away from having enough enriched uranium to build "several" nuclear bombs.Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), cautioned that the recent U.S. and U.K. airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have done nothing to solve the critical Iranian nuclear issue. In fact, he argued, the escalating regional conflict is making a diplomatic solution nearly impossible."The military strikes have had no effect on Iran's nuclear program," Grossi stated bluntly. He expressed deep concern that the world is distracted by the tit-for-tat violence while Iran's nuclear capabilities continue to advance unchecked in the background.A Program in OverdriveAccording to Grossi, the situation has become critical. Iran has accumulated a large stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity—a level that is just a short, technical step away from the 90% needed for a nuclear weapon."We are in a very tense situation," he said, emphasizing the speed at which Iran could proceed. "It is a matter of weeks, not months, for them to have enough material for several nuclear bombs."While having the material is not the same as having a functional bomb (which requires a complex weaponization process), it is the most significant and difficult hurdle to overcome.Diplomacy is DeadGrossi lamented the complete breakdown of communication and diplomacy. He described the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal (known as the JCPOA), which the U.S. withdrew from in 2018, as nothing more than an "empty shell." Since then, IAEA inspectors have had their access severely restricted, and diplomatic talks have ground to a halt.This lack of dialogue, combined with Iran's advanced nuclear state and the explosive regional environment, creates a perfect storm for miscalculation. Grossi is urging world powers to abandon the current cycle of military responses and return to the negotiating table with a new approach before the situation spirals completely out of control.
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