Iran’s Stance on Nuclear Inspections
Iran’s leading nuclear official has dismissed the possibility of third-party inspections at the country’s bombed uranium enrichment sites, asserting that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) lacks a standard for such evaluations.
During a press conference on Monday, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, stated that while Tehran might consider allowing inspections of its damaged nuclear facilities, this would only occur once a clear protocol is established.
“There must be a protocol in place for inspections of nuclear sites that have been attacked before permission can be given,” Eslami emphasized.
Eslami mentioned that Iran has permitted inspections at non-damaged locations. Much of Iran’s uranium enrichment infrastructure suffered significant damage during its 12-day conflict with Israel in June. During this period, U.S. bombers targeted three of Iran’s most fortified facilities—Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—with “bunker buster” bombs.
Since the conclusion of the war, international nuclear watchdogs like the IAEA have insisted on being allowed to inspect these sites to account for Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
Eslami contended that without an appropriate protocol for inspecting damaged sites, the IAEA is ill-equipped to handle similar situations involving other nations in the future.
Iran holds the IAEA partially accountable for the June conflict, claiming that a report from the organization’s board of governors prior to the war justified Israel’s preemptive strikes. The report indicated that Iran was not complying with its nuclear reporting obligations and was enriching uranium at levels significantly above what would be necessary for civilian purposes.
