UN nuclear watchdog chief urges Iran to grant IAEA access to verify nuclear material

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog on Tuesday urged Iran to provide the agency with the information and access needed to verify its previously declared nuclear material, including 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of highly enriched uranium. The UN Security Council began the session by voting to adopt the agenda, with 11 votes in favor, two against from Russia and China, and two abstentions from Pakistan and Somalia. Addressing the Council, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the agency continues to engage with Tehran, “seeking avenues to encourage it to clarify all remaining safeguards issues.”

“One area of particular concern is Iran’s previously declared nuclear material, which includes 440kg of High Enriched Uranium,” he said. Grossi said the issues “have now been outstanding for more than five years.” He recalled that the agency had to withdraw all its inspectors from Iran by the end of June 2025 for safety reasons after military attacks began. “Inspectors have been available to return for many months now,” he said. He stressed that Iran has not provided “the requested information and access so that the IAEA can verify previously declared nuclear material at Iran’s facilities under safeguards, both those that have been affected by military attacks and those that have not.”

Grossi said the only exception was the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, where inspectors were conducting verification activities. “The one exception is the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), where our inspectors are currently undertaking verification activities,” he said. He added that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran had engaged constructively with the agency to arrange the delivery of safeguards equipment needed to verify spent fuel before its transfer to a new dry storage facility, expected early next year.

Grossi also said the agency’s inspectors spent more than 14,000 calendar days in the field last year, conducting verification activities at more than 1,400 facilities and locations outside them, and were able to draw safeguards conclusions for 179 states. “I invite Iran to work with the IAEA without any further delay to clarify outstanding safeguards questions,” he said, adding that Tehran must provide access “as is Iran’s legal obligation.”