BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. There has been no
evidence of Iran building a nuclear bomb, IAEA Director General
Rafael Grossi stated, Trend reports.


"I have been very clear and consistent in my reports on Iran’s
nuclear programme: while there has been no evidence of Iran
building a nuclear bomb, its large stockpile of near-weapons grade
enriched uranium and refusal to grant my inspectors full access are
cause for serious concern. For these reasons, my previous reports
indicate that unless and until Iran assists IAEA in resolving the
outstanding safeguards issues, the Agency will not be in a position
to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively
peaceful," Grossi wrote on his page on X.


Following the second round of nuclear talks between Washington
and Tehran on February 17, which ended without progress, the U.S.
increased its presence in areas near Iran, deploying over 150
aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East.


The escalation follows the 3rd round of nuclear talks between
Iran and the United States in Geneva on February 26. Held under the
administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, the negotiations
were viewed as the final chance to strike a deal diplomatically.
However, no agreements were reached, as Tehran refused to halt
uranium enrichment, dismantle its nuclear facilities, or accept
indefinite restrictions on its nuclear program. Israel launched its
airstrikes shortly afterward, with the country's Defense Minister
Katz emphasizing that the operations were preemptive.







In a significant escalation, military airstrikes conducted by
Israel and the United States the previous day have reportedly
resulted in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei
and several members of his family.


Additionally, several of Iran’s most senior military and
security officials were killed in the airstrikes, including Chief
of Staff Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief Mohammad Pakpour, Supreme
Leader adviser and Defense Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani, and
Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh.