IAEA: 'Long‑overdue' Inspections of Iran's Nuclear Sites Still Blocked After June Strikes

IAEA warns inspections remain blocked after June attacks on Iranian nuclear sites

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it has been unable to verify Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium since Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, according to a confidential report circulated to member states.

The agency reported it was prevented from carrying out “long‑overdue” inspections at seven sites affected during the 12‑day conflict, including major facilities at Fordo and Natanz. The IAEA says it must verify inventories of previously declared nuclear material to resolve concerns about “the possible diversion of declared nuclear material from peaceful use.”

Although the report criticises Iran’s lack of cooperation, it notes that IAEA inspectors were scheduled to visit the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre (about 350 km southeast of Tehran) to conduct inspections.

During the 12‑day war, Israeli strikes damaged buildings at Isfahan — among them a uranium conversion plant — and the United States also launched strikes on the site. Iran initially suspended all cooperation with the IAEA after the attacks but reached an agreement in Cairo in early September to resume inspections. Later that month the United Nations reimposed heavy sanctions, prompting an angry response from Tehran and a halt to implementation of the Cairo agreement. European powers had also moved to renew UN measures in August after Iran did not enter direct talks or clarify the status of its near‑weapons‑grade uranium.

The IAEA report highlights material enriched to around 60% purity, a level that is a short technical step below the commonly cited weapons‑grade threshold of about 90%. The report described Iran’s near‑bomb‑grade uranium stockpile as “a matter of serious concern” and said that, in theory, the existing stockpile could be sufficient to produce roughly 10 nuclear devices.

Some of the enriched uranium may have been destroyed during the strikes, but diplomats told reporters much of the material was likely stored in a deeply buried facility at Isfahan. Although the facility’s entrance tunnels were struck, available information suggests the damage to the buried sections was limited.

So far the IAEA has inspected only a portion of the 13 facilities identified as “unaffected” by the Israeli and US strikes. The agency warned that reconstituting a full and reliable accounting of Iran’s declared stocks will be an arduous and time‑consuming task.

Context: The IAEA continues to press Iran for access and explanations to verify declared materials and to exclude the possibility of diversion for non‑peaceful uses. Iran maintains its nuclear programme is peaceful; the IAEA has said it has no credible indication of a coordinated weapons programme.