UN watchdog says it can’t verify whether Iran has suspended all uranium enrichment |
VIENNA, Austria — Iran has not allowed the United Nations nuclear agency access to its nuclear facilities bombed by Iran and the United States during a 12-day war in June, according to a confidential report by the watchdog circulated to member states and seen Friday by The Associated Press.
The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency stressed that it “cannot verify whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities,” or the “size of Iran’s uranium stockpile at the affected nuclear facilities.”
Iran has four declared enrichment facilities, but the report warned that because of the lack of access, the IAEA “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran.”
The report stressed that the “loss of continuity of knowledge … needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency.”
While Iran, whose leaders are sworn to Israel’s destruction, denies seeking nuclear arms, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities. The US is seeking a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear program and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons.
Highly enriched material should be verified regularly
The IAEA reported that Iran had informed the agency in a letter dated February 2 that normal safeguards were “legally untenable and materially impracticable,” as a result of threats and “acts of aggression.”
The confidential report also said Friday that Iran did provide access to IAEA inspectors “to each of the unaffected nuclear facilities at least once” since June 2025, with the exception of a power plant at Karun that is under construction.
Iran is legally obliged to cooperate with the IAEA under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but suspended all cooperation after the war with Israel.
According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponize its program, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned in a recent interview with the AP. He added that it doesn’t mean that Iran has such a weapon.
Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines.
IAEA observes activity around nuclear sites
In the absence of direct access to the nuclear sites, the IAEA turned to commercially available satellite imagery.
Observation of the Isfahan facility, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) southeast of Tehran, showed “regular vehicular activity” around the entrance to a tunnel complex used to store enriched material, the report said.
Isfahan was struck by both Israel and the United States in June.
The IAEA said it also observed activity at the enrichment sites in Natanz and Fordow, but added that “without access to these facilities it is not possible for the Agency to confirm the nature and the purpose of the activities.”
IAEA joined Geneva talks
The IAEA reported on Friday that Grossi attended negotiations between the US and Iran on February 17 and February 26 in Geneva at which he “provided advice” on the verification of Iran’s nuclear program. The report said that those negotiations are “ongoing.”
Thursday’s talks, the third round this year under Omani mediation, ended without a deal, leaving the danger of another Mideast war on the table as the US has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the region.
An Omani official said lower-level technical talks would continue next week in Vienna, the home of the IAEA. The agency is likely to be critical in any deal.
Similar talks last year between the US and Iran about Iran’s nuclear program broke down after the start of the war with Israel in June.
Iran has so far resisted demands that it halt uranium enrichment on its soil or hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
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IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency