IAEA chief urges diplomacy as Iran retains uranium enrichment capacity despite attacks

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi urged diplomatic settlement of Iran's nuclear program, saying that Iran retains the capacity to produce enriched uranium within months despite recent attacks on its nuclear facilities.

Grossi said in an interview with CBS News on Friday that Iran can have, in a matter of months, "a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium."

The IAEA chief called for all parties to sit down with Iran and look into the matter, because the "lasting solution" can only be achieved through diplomacy.

Iran's Constitutional Council on Thursday approved a plan, already ratified by the parliament, to suspend the country's cooperation with the IAEA.

Given the violation of Iran's national sovereignty by the United States and Israel, their attacks on its territorial integrity as well as peaceful nuclear facilities, which jeopardize Iran's national interests, the Iranian administration is duty-bound to suspend any cooperation with the IAEA when full respect is not guaranteed for the country's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and security is not ensured for Iranian nuclear centers and scientists, said a council spokesperson on Thursday.

On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on different areas in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing several senior commanders, nuclear scientists and many civilians. Iran responded by launching several waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel, inflicting casualties and damage.

Later last week, the U.S. Air Force bombed three Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. In retaliation, Iran on Monday struck the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar with missiles.

Following the 12-day war, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was achieved on Tuesday.

IAEA chief urges diplomacy as Iran retains uranium enrichment capacity despite attacks

IAEA chief urges diplomacy as Iran retains uranium enrichment capacity despite attacks

IAEA chief urges diplomacy as Iran retains uranium enrichment capacity despite attacks

Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."

Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.

"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.

"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.

EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland