Geneva – Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), urged the United States to finalize a nuclear deal with Iran, warning that Tehran retains significant quantities of highly enriched uranium despite previous strikes on its nuclear facilities. Grossi issued the call following meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva on Monday, February 16, 2026, and subsequent talks with U.S. Officials this week.
According to Grossi, much of the enriched uranium Iran had accumulated as of June 2025 remains intact. “Most of the material that Iran had accumulated up until June of last year, despite the bombings and the attacks, is still there, in large quantities, where it was at the time of the strikes,” he told the French outlet TF1. He cautioned that while some material may be less accessible, its presence continues to pose a non-proliferation risk.
The IAEA chief’s remarks reach as U.S. Intelligence assesses that Iran, currently enriching uranium to 60%, could produce a nuclear weapon within weeks if it reaches the 90% weapons-grade threshold. The urgency of securing a deal, Grossi emphasized, is tied to preventing further military action in the region. “The problem is, we don’t have much time,” he stated.
The push for a deal follows a breakthrough in September 2025, when the IAEA and Iran agreed to resume cooperation on inspections of Tehran’s nuclear facilities. This agreement allowed for the resumption of inspection activities after they had been suspended following U.S. And Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear installations. The resumption of inspections was brokered by Egypt.
Araghchi met with Grossi ahead of a second round of negotiations with the United States over Iran’s nuclear program. The Iranian Foreign Ministry released a photograph of Araghchi and Grossi during their meeting in Geneva. PressTV reported that the two discussed a framework for a potential Iran-U.S. Deal on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.
Simultaneously, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard conducted military drills in the Persian Gulf on February 16, 2026, as the U.S. Continues to build its naval presence in the Middle East. The drills were documented by Sepahnews, the media outlet of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Grossi’s appeal for a swift resolution underscores the precarious state of negotiations and the potential for escalation. As of Friday, February 20, 2026, the outcome of the ongoing talks between the U.S. And Iran remains uncertain.
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