IAEA Calls on Iran to Allow Inspections to Resume

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, has called on Iran to "re-engage" with the agency to allow inspections to resume at sites that were bombed a year ago. The United States is leading a diplomatic effort to pass a resolution demanding Iran provide details about the enriched uranium and grant the agency necessary access.

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It's very important that we re-engage.

Iran has not yet informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about the fate of the bombed nuclear sites or the nuclear material, including uranium enriched to near weapons-grade, that was stored there. While the bombings damaged uranium enrichment facilities, a significant amount of highly enriched uranium is believed to have survived.

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I call on Iran to engage the Agency constructively in order to facilitate the full and effective implementation of safeguards in Iran.

Grossi emphasized the importance of re-engagement, stating, "I call on Iran to engage the Agency constructively in order to facilitate the full and effective implementation of safeguards in Iran." He noted that communication channels with Iran are currently broken, with only sporadic contact with the foreign minister. The IAEA has continued inspections at non-bombed sites but halted them in February due to renewed military strikes, limiting recent inspections to Iran's operating power plant in Bushehr.

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I have sporadic contacts with the foreign minister and others, but basically the channel of communication is broken.

The US, along with Britain, France, and Germany, submitted a draft resolution to the IAEA's Board of Governors. The text, seen by Reuters, calls on Iran to provide "complete information" on the enriched uranium and grant the IAEA all necessary access "without delay." Diplomats anticipate the resolution will pass with a clear majority, similar to one in November. However, it risks complicating ongoing talks between the US and Iran aimed at extending a ceasefire and potentially discussing Iran's nuclear program.

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provide complete information on the enriched uranium and grant the IAEA all the access it needs to verify it “without delay.”