The world stands precariously close to nuclear disaster, with civilian plants under attack and alarming rhetoric normalising the use of atomic weapons, warns Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In a stark interview with the British newspaper, the Financial Times, Grossi detailed the escalating threats he confronts daily, from the frontlines of Ukraine to the secretive nuclear programs of isolated nations.
Grossi, effectively the world's chief nuclear policeman, vividly illustrated the immediate danger at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. "This is Moscow," he said, indicating one point on a tablecloth, "This is Kyiv," marking another. Between them, he placed Zaporizhzhia, which once provided a fifth of Ukraine's electricity and is now occupied by Russian forces. "There is much more bombardment there now, and the Russians are pushing hard," Grossi stated, confirming that IAEA teams have been present since 2022 to prevent a Chernobyl-scale catastrophe. Grossi himself has made five trips to the plant. Despite the plant's six 1,000-megawatt turbines being "cold" (inactive) — reducing the risk of widespread contamination like Chernobyl if hit — Grossi stressed the peril. "However, there are supplies at the site which, if hit, could leak and contaminate the local region. We have to make it without anything big until the ceasefire," he cautioned.
Beyond Ukraine, Grossi expressed deep concern over the broader nuclear landscape. He sharply criticised the casual discussion of tactical nuclear weapons, noting, "In the past, this was quite taboo, but now people talk about tactical nuclear weapons like something which could be contained or permissible."A sobering statistic underscores the fragile state of nuclear non-proliferation: "Today we could have 30 countries which could have nuclear weapons, judging from their technical development, but we have nine." Grossi fears a potential "cascade in the Middle East" if Iran acquires a bomb, or if European security guarantees shift, prompting nations like Poland to consider nuclear armament. "This is incredibly dangerous," he stated.
Adding to the global anxiety is North Korea's nuclear program. Pyongyang "kicked us out in 2009," Grossi recounted, revealing the IAEA's assessment: "North Korea has nuclear weapons — 60 to 70 warheads, or so." The lack of interaction with Pyongyang deeply concerns Grossi, highlighting the "basic safety risks" from a nuclear power that "have no interaction with anyone."
Grossi, who is reportedly bidding to become the next UN Secretary-General, did not shy away from criticising the very organisation he aims to lead. "The UN is in a very bad place at the moment — the original idea is valid, but it has become big and bureaucratised and absent from the resolution of major international crises. It doesn’t need to be like that," he asserted. As the world's top nuclear diplomat, Grossi's daily work involves navigating these complex and dangerous scenarios. His commitment to diplomacy reflects his conviction that "at the bottom there is always some rationality — before there has always been a moment [to stop] before it is too late."
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