IAEA warns over Iran nuclear access as Western powers push UN referral

What the report says

France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States are pressing the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer Iran’s nuclear file to the UN Security Council, according to Al Jazeera’s report from Vienna. The move comes as the IAEA says it still cannot verify Iran’s nuclear material and has not had on-site access to key facilities for more than a year.

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi told the agency’s Board of Governors that Iran had not provided updated information on the status of its declared nuclear material or facilities during the latest reporting period. He said the loss of continuity over previously declared uranium stocks, including material enriched to as much as 60 percent, remains a serious proliferation concern that should be addressed urgently.

The Western-backed draft resolution would ask Grossi to send the resolution, earlier board decisions and his latest report to the Security Council and the General Assembly. It would also urge Iran to give inspectors the information and access needed for verification. Al Jazeera reported that the proposal had not yet been formally submitted and negotiations were continuing.

Iran rejected the push, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei arguing that limits on inspectors stemmed from US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. He warned that Tehran would take “necessary measures” if the resolution advances. The issue matters because any Security Council action could deepen pressure on Iran and reopen a dispute that has been dormant at that level for years.