GEOFF BENNETT: Ukraine's president today# at the United Nations warned that Russia## is preparing to attack Ukraine's# nuclear plants.

At the same time,## Iranian officials have repeatedly stated they# are interested in resuming nuclear diplomacy.

Nick Schifrin is back to speak with an official# who is central to both challenges -- Nick.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Yes, Geoff, central to both# challenges because the International Atomic## Energy Agency, or IAEA, is responsible# for monitoring and ensuring the safe use## of nuclear power around the world and for# inspecting countries' nuclear programs.

Rafael Grossi is the director general# of the IAEA, and he joins me now.

Director General, thank you very# much.

Welcome back to the "News Hour."

As we just said, today, at# the U.N. General Assembly,## Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy# accused Russia of -- quote -- "planning## attacks on our nuclear power# plants and their infrastructure."

Do you have any crowd# corroboration for that accusation?

RAFAEL GROSSI, Director General, IAEA: Thank you# very much.

As always, a pleasure to talk to you.

No, we don't have that information.

Of course,## we are aware of the statement by# the president.

We don't have that.

Let me simply say on this thing that# we have said very clearly at the U.N.## Security Council and elsewhere that# nuclear power plants should never be## attacked wherever they are.

Let me# also say that, as you may remember,## the IAEA has personnel deployed not only at the# Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, but also at## every other nuclear power plant in Ukraine,# Rivne, Nytskyi, South Ukraine, and Chernobyl.

So we are present in all these sites.

NICK SCHIFRIN: So is -- the context# for this is Russia's occupation at## the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant,# which you visited just a few weeks ago,## and as well as your presence, as you# just said, at other nuclear power plants.

And Ukraine and you have pointed out that# for these nuclear power plants to stay safe,## they need to have electricity.# Russia has deliberately targeted## Ukraine's electricity infrastructure.# Is there a higher concern today that## the electricity that these plants need to# maintain their safety could be cut off?

RAFAEL GROSSI: This is a# permanent concern of ours.

In reality, there have been already eight# complete blackouts at the Zaporizhzhia## nuclear power plant.

And, of course, we are aware## of the events and incidents on other parts# of the electric grid and the infrastructure.

So, we are also monitoring that.

We have# established, as an additional measure,## a system to assess and analyze the critical# substations to the nuclear power plants from,## of course, a perspective of# nuclear safety in all of them.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Let me switch to Iran.

This week at the U.N., you met Iran's new# foreign minister, .. a former nuclear negotiator for Iran.

And# you said you see a -- quote -- "expressed## willingness to reengage with us# in a more meaningful fashion."

Why do you say that?

And what# does that actually translate to?

RAFAEL GROSSI: Because I was told so.

So I# heard the foreign minister who said that.

I also got a letter from President# Pezeshkian during the summer indicating## that -- his willingness to meet# with me.

And we are -- precisely,## one of the things we were doing# with Foreign Minister Araqchi,## whom I know very, very well and has a lot of# experience in nuclear matters and negotiations.

We are preparing the ground for that meeting,# which should be -- in their own interpretation,## should mark a clear progress, a turning# point, as they say.

So I have to see.## There are lots of things that we need to# discuss, and we are preparing for that.

NICK SCHIFRIN: So, among the things that,## of course, you need to discuss is a# .. which is that Iran has failed to explain# uranium traces found at undeclared sites.

Do you believe that they are interested# in finally providing those explanations?

RAFAEL GROSSI: Well, I have to# continue.

I should never give up.

I'm hearing a high official of a# member state of the IAEA.

Of course,## there is a history, and we always# have that in mind.

But we trust,## but we verify.

So we hope that this will# be the case and that we will be able,## at long last -- like you say, this has been going# on for a long time -- to move to a better place.

NICK SCHIFRIN: What about restrictions on some of## your inspectors that Iran has placed?

Do# you believe that they might lift those?

RAFAEL GROSSI: They won't do that.# They indicated, unfortunately,## that the inspectors, they have taken out of# our roaster of inspectors visiting different## facilities in Iran which have been taken# out of that list will not be restored to it.

So, I am, frankly, frustrated about this.

But# as I said to one of your colleagues, that ship## has sailed.

We continue.

We will be trying to# do the best we can, and we will certainly do.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And the larger context for# this, of course, is what you have called## the turbocharging of Iran's nuclear program,# enriching uranium up to 60 percent purity.

Last month, the IAEA said Iran added nearly# 50 pounds of highly enriched uranium,## exceeding what it would need to create# at least three nuclear weapons.

Do you## believe you understand that you can't# understand the baseline of Iran's## nuclear program?

And do you believe that# that means you could have negotiations?

RAFAEL GROSSI: Well, for that, that -- that# is exactly what we want to do.

We want to## reestablish a credible baseline on -- with regards# to the material, with regards to the production## capacities in terms of centrifuges and other# things which are truly indispensable to prepare.

I'm not talking about a final# or wide-ranging negotiation.## I'm talking about preparing the grounds# for that.

If you don't have the -- or the## IAEA does not have the ability to say what# is what is there, what is present there,## then the basic foundations for a# sound negotiation are simply missing.

And I believe my Iranian counterparts understand# this.

So let's hope that this reengagement,## reestablishment of contact, my upcoming# visit to Tehran, will be a positive one.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Rafael Grossi, director# general of the IAEA, thank you very much.

RAFAEL GROSSI: My pleasure.