G7 Warns Iran Over Continuing Nuclear Program Escalation 

A national Iranian flag waves in the wind over a building of the Iranian embassy, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 24, 2022. (Reuters) 
A national Iranian flag waves in the wind over a building of the Iranian embassy, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 24, 2022. (Reuters) 
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G7 Warns Iran Over Continuing Nuclear Program Escalation 

A national Iranian flag waves in the wind over a building of the Iranian embassy, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 24, 2022. (Reuters) 
A national Iranian flag waves in the wind over a building of the Iranian embassy, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 24, 2022. (Reuters) 

The Group of Seven leaders warned Iran on Friday against advancing its nuclear enrichment program and said they would be ready to enforce new measures if Tehran were to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia, according to a draft communique. 

"We urge Tehran to cease and reverse nuclear escalations, and stop the continuing uranium enrichment activities that have no credible civilian justifications," the statement seen by Reuters said. 

Iran has rapidly installed extra uranium-enriching centrifuges at its Fordow site and begun setting up others, a UN nuclear watchdog report said on Thursday. 

Iran is now enriching uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the 90% of weapons grade, and has enough material enriched to that level, if enriched further, for three nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick. 

"Iran must engage in serious dialogue and provide convincing assurances that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, in full cooperation and compliance with the IAEA’s monitoring and verification mechanism, including the Board of Governors’ resolution of 5 June," the G7 said. 

Iran says its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. 

The leaders also warned Iran about concluding a deal to send ballistic missiles to Russia that would help it in its war against Ukraine, saying they were prepared to respond with significant measures if it were to happen. 

"We call on Iran to stop assisting Russia’s war in Ukraine and not to transfer ballistic missiles and related technology, as this would represent a substantive material escalation and a direct threat to European security," they said. 



UN Nuclear Watchdog Can Guarantee Iran Will Not Develop Nuclear Weapons

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) speaks via video during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, about the conflict between Israel and Iran, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, June 20, 2025. (Reuters)
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) speaks via video during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, about the conflict between Israel and Iran, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, June 20, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Nuclear Watchdog Can Guarantee Iran Will Not Develop Nuclear Weapons

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) speaks via video during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, about the conflict between Israel and Iran, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, June 20, 2025. (Reuters)
Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) speaks via video during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, about the conflict between Israel and Iran, at UN headquarters in New York City, US, June 20, 2025. (Reuters)

UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi told the UN Security Council on Friday the International Atomic Energy Agency can do this “through a watertight inspection system.”

He said elements for an agreement on reining in Iran’s nuclear program have been discussed.

He was speaking at an emergency meeting of the Security Council about the Israel-Iran conflict.

Grossi called for “maximum restraint” in the war, adding: “A diplomatic solution is within reach if the necessary political will is there.”

He warned against any potential attack on Iran’s only commercial nuclear power plant as well as a research reactor near Tehran, saying it could lead to radiation leaks with “severe consequences.”

Even a hit that disabled the two lines supplying electrical power to the Bushehr plant “could cause its reactor core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment,” he added.

Grossi said Israeli attacks on nuclear sites at Natanz and Isfahan and at the Arak heavy water plant have so far not led to any radiological release.

He said an Israeli military official erroneously reported Thursday that Bushehr was hit by an airstrike, but Israel then retracted that claim. He stressed that the confusion “underscored the vital need for clear and accurate communication.”

More on the Tehran Research Reactor

The Tehran Research Reactor is at the headquarters of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the civilian body overseeing the country’s atomic program.

The US actually provided Iran the reactor in 1967 as part of America’s “Atoms for Peace” program during the Cold War. It initially required highly enriched uranium but was later retrofitted to use low-enriched uranium over proliferation concerns

Iran’s only commercial nuclear power plant is in Bushehr on the Arabian Gulf, some 750 kilometers (465 miles) south of Tehran. Construction on the plant began under Iran’s Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the mid-1970s. After the 1979 revolution, the plant was repeatedly targeted in the Iran-Iraq war. Russia later completed construction of the facility.

Iran is building two other reactors like it at the site. Bushehr is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the IAEA.