IAEA Inspectors Denied Access
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have not been allowed to visit Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities since June, as detailed in a confidential report shared with member nations.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog has only been able to inspect 13 locations that remained unaffected by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes during the 12-day conflict in June, according to the report.
This lack of access has resulted in the IAEA losing its “continuity of knowledge” regarding Iran’s uranium reserves, making it impossible to verify both the quantity and enrichment levels of Tehran’s uranium. Recent assessments suggest that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is at 60% purity, totaling approximately 970 pounds.
The IAEA warns that Iran’s current enrichment level is just a few steps away from weapons-grade material, indicating that with its existing stockpile, Tehran could potentially produce at least ten nuclear weapons.
Following the June conflict, Iran’s Parliament enacted legislation halting cooperation with the IAEA, with some officials in Tehran alleging that the agency provided justification for Israel’s military actions against Iran.
In September, Iran agreed to a framework for gradually resuming nuclear inspections with the IAEA; however, subsequent reinstatement of stringent U.N. Security Council sanctions led Tehran to withdraw from this agreement.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is intended solely for civilian use and denies any ambitions for atomic weaponry. As a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran is obligated to undergo regular independent inspections and provide comprehensive reports on its bombed enrichment facilities. The IAEA asserts that Iran has not complied with these requirements since June.
This report emerges as the IAEA’s Board of Governors prepares for its final meeting of the year on November 19, where discussions about Iran’s nuclear program and compliance with Safeguards Agreements are anticipated to be significant topics. IAEA officials are expected to urge Iran for greater transparency during this conference.
Iran’s permanent representative at the IAEA recently met with his Russian and Chinese counterparts along with IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi ahead of this important meeting. Grossi has been critical of Tehran since it suspended cooperation and has consistently called for improved transparency from the Islamic Republic.
