JAKARTA - Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said Israeli military operations had caused serious damage to Iran's nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, while the Fordow nuclear site had not yet been affected.
"Since the beginning of the operation, there have been a number of attacks. First, important facilities in Natanz have been hit by intense attacks, with all the enrichment halls above the ground completely destroyed," Grossi told Bloomberg.
"In addition, electricity substations and power infrastructure in this large facility are also destroyed, which has a direct impact on very vital underground enrichment facilities," said Grossi.
Grossi said the nuclear complex in Isfahan was also 'repeatedly attacked, with several buildings affected.'
"The only facility that hasn't appeared to have suffered similar damage so far is Fordow, which is a very important location with the most sensitive part well below the ground, hidden inside the mountains," Grossi added.
Iran itself insists its nuclear program has no military dimension. Grossi stressed the IAEA has not found concrete evidence that Iran is running an active nuclear weapons program.
Assessment of US intelligence also concluded the same thing, Iran is not actively pursuing the manufacture of nuclear weapons, CNN reported on Tuesday (17/6), citing a number of sources familiar with the matter.
Former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan and human rights activist Craig Murray told RIA Novosti Iran had shown a "very responsible and patient" attitude over the past few years, despite facing various actions from Israel.
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The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a massive operation titled RisingLion in the early hours of Friday (13/6), targeting military sites and Iran's nuclear program facilities.
The Israeli air force launched several waves of airstrikes on various Iranian territories, including the capital Tehran. A number of senior Iranian military officials, including the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, several commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as a number of nuclear scientists were killed as a result of the attack.
Several nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Fordow, were also targeted by attacks.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called the attack a crime and warned Israel would face "a bitter and terrible fate."
In retaliation, the IRGC launched the True Promise III operation on Friday (13/6) night, targeting a number of military installations within the Israeli territory.
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