Israel-Iran Conflict: ‘Very Significant Damage’ Expected At Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Site, Says IAEA Chief

U.S. bombing of Iran’s Fordow nuclear site has likely resulted in “very significant damage,” according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi.

According to a Reuters report, Grossi underscored that while the IAEA does not have a full assessment of the damage sustained by Iran’s nuclear facilities, including Fordow, the bombs used by the U.S. could be a clue as to what could have happened.

“Given the explosive payload utilized and the extreme[ly] vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred,” Grossi said.

The U.S. used bunker-busting munitions to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities in a bid to end its ambitions of acquiring an atomic weapon. While U.S. President Donald Trump says that these sites have been “obliterated,” Iran told the IAEA that there has been no increase in off-site radiation at the three facilities hit by the U.S.

Grossi also appeared to be criticizing President Trump’s armed attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying that they should “never take place.”

“I therefore again call on maximum restraint. Military escalation threatens lives and delays a diplomatic solution for the long-term assurance that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. It also threatens the global non-proliferation regime,” he said in an address to the United Nations Security Council.

Grossi also cautioned that the non-proliferation regime is “on the line” following the U.S. attacks on Iran, threatening a potential widening of the conflict.

He previously said the IAEA was unable to verify the location of Iran’s near-bomb-grade enriched uranium.

Meanwhile, U.S. equity markets defied geopolitical concerns to edge up in Monday’s trade.

At the time of writing, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), which tracks the S&P 500 index, was up 0.51%, while the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) gained 0.67%. Stocktwits data shows retail sentiment around the S&P 500 ETF has been in the ‘extremely bearish’ territory over the past week.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

Also See: Crude Oil Prices Climb After Iran Threatens US, Blames ‘Gambler’ Trump For Entering Conflict With Israel