A “very strong” verification system is needed in Iran following the West Asia conflict to ensure that the country does not develop nuclear weapons, the UN atomic watchdog chief said Friday (June 26, 2026).
“I think the objective of this (recent U.S.-Iran) agreement is to ensure that there is no development of nuclear weapons in Iran.
The government of Iran has declared quite clearly that this is not its intention,” Rafael Grossi told reporters in Japan.
“But of course, intentions are not enough.
We have to have a very strong verification system in place, as soon as is practicable,” Mr.
Grossi said.
Also Read | U.S.-Iran deal may leave Netanyahu as biggest casualty: analysts Washington’s top diplomat said Thursday (June 25, 2026) there are limits to what it would accept in any Iran deal, as an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz led the UN to suspend an effort to evacuate trapped mariners.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Bahrain as part of a regional tour to reassure Gulf partners hit hard by the West Asia war, also dismissed the idea of allowing Tehran to charge fees in the strait, saying it would open the door to “chaos”.
Also Read | Any deal with Iran will ensure security of Gulf allies: Rubio An Israeli strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed three people on Thursday (June 25), Lebanese state media reported, while Israel’s army said it had targeted Hezbollah operatives in two incidents in the south.
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