The interview – no evidence of Russian attack on Zaporizhia power plant, IAEA says
Rafael Grossi gave an interview to France 24 from Vienna. The director general of the IAEA explains that his team has not observed any Russian military deployment inside the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, as Kiev has confirmed that Moscow is preparing to attack the facility.
Regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, Rafael Grossi laments that the implementation of new control measures is progressing “very slowly”, adding that stocks of enriched uranium are constantly increasing
From the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) office in Vienna, its director Rafael Grossi described the safety situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, under Russian control.
An “unfortunate convergence of events” weakens the situation, first notes the agency’s director, mentioning the increase in military activities on the front line with the Ukrainian counter-offensive and the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
On June 22, President Volodymir Zelensky said that, according to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia has made all preparations for an attack on the facility that could cause a nuclear disaster.
While urging caution, Rafael Grossi nevertheless confirms that “there is no military deployment of such a dimension inside the facility” according to his team on the ground.
The director of the IAEA adds that he has received from the Ukrainians as well as from the Russians “quite significant support” regarding the actions to be avoided, namely militarization or attack on the facility.
On the Iranian case, Rafael Grossi notes that the negotiations between the countries of the Vienna Agreement signed in 2015 have “stopped”, but that we are now talking about other negotiation processes, bilateral. “Any deal is better than no deal”, believes Rafael Grossi, however, who confirms that the stocks of uranium enriched by Iran continue to increase.
