IAEA Unable to Verify Iran's Near-Weapons Grade Uranium Stockpile Following Military Strikes

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been unable to verify the status of Iran's near weapons-grade uranium stockpile since the military strikes by Israel and the United States on Iranian nuclear facilities during the 12-day conflict in June, according to a confidential report circulated to member states and reviewed by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The UN nuclear watchdog expressed concern that it has "lost continuity of knowledge in relation to the previously declared inventories of nuclear material in Iran" at the affected facilities, emphasizing that this situation requires urgent attention.

The report highlighted that the IAEA's "lack of access to this nuclear material in Iran for five months means that its verification - according to standard safeguards practice - is long overdue."

As reported in September, Iran possesses approximately 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, which is technically just a step away from the 90% enrichment level considered weapons-grade.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi recently warned in an AP interview that this stockpile could potentially enable Iran to construct up to 10 nuclear bombs if the country decided to weaponize its program, though he clarified this doesn't indicate Iran currently possesses such weapons.

While Iran consistently maintains its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes, both the IAEA and Western nations assert that Tehran operated an organized nuclear weapons program until 2003.

Under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA, Iran is required to submit a "special report" detailing the location and condition of its nuclear material, including highly enriched uranium, following events such as attacks. This report must also address the status of facilities affected by the June conflict.

The IAEA emphasized that "the provision of such a report is indispensable for the Agency to provide assurances that nuclear material subject to safeguards in Iran remains in peaceful nuclear activities and that the facilities subject to safeguards are not being misused."

According to Wednesday's report, Iran stated in a November 11 letter to the IAEA that "any cooperation with the Agency is conditional on the decision of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) of Iran."

The IAEA also noted that Iran has not permitted inspectors to access sites damaged during the conflict. However, Tehran did allow inspection of undamaged facilities after Director General Grossi reached an agreement with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Cairo in early September.

These accessible facilities include the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor, and three additional nuclear facilities in Tehran.

The report mentioned that IAEA inspectors were traveling to Iran on Wednesday to conduct inspections at the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, which employs thousands of nuclear scientists and houses three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with Iran's nuclear program.

During the conflict, Israeli forces struck buildings at the Isfahan site, including a uranium conversion facility, while the U.S. also targeted Isfahan with missile strikes.

Iran suspended all cooperation with the IAEA following the war with Israel, though inspection activities briefly resumed after the Cairo agreement between Grossi and Araghchi in September.

However, later that month, the UN reimposed sanctions on Iran, provoking an angry response from Tehran and leading to the country's suspension of the Cairo agreement.

Under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Iran remains legally obligated to cooperate with the IAEA.

European powers activated the "snapback mechanism" to reimpose UN sanctions after Iran failed to engage in direct talks with the U.S., resume full cooperation with the IAEA, and clarify the status of its near weapons-grade uranium stockpile.

These sanctions freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals, and penalize development of Iran's ballistic missile program, further straining the country's struggling economy and isolating Tehran following the 12-day conflict with Israel that targeted its nuclear facilities.