The United Nations nuclear watchdog on Wednesday referred to as on Iran to completely cooperate with the company, present “full info” about its stockpile of near-weapons-grade nuclear materials and permit inspectors entry to its nuclear amenities.
The decision pressured that the availability of and entry to info is “important and pressing” to allow the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA) to confirm that there is no such thing as a “diversion of nuclear materials.”
On the IAEA Board assembly in Vienna, 21 international locations on the 35-member board voted in favor of the decision, in line with diplomats who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate the outcomes of the closed-door vote.
Russia, China and Niger opposed it, whereas 10 international locations abstained and one nation didn’t vote because of arrears.
The decision was proposed by France, the UK, Germany, and america.
A senior Western diplomat, who spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of he was not licensed to talk on the delicate challenge, mentioned the decision was “aimed toward sustaining diplomatic strain on Iran to adjust to its authorized safeguards obligations.”
The decision comes amid heightened tensions within the Center East, with america launching airstrikes in opposition to Iran early Wednesday and Tehran firing again at regional international locations.
The escalation of assaults threatened to derail efforts to finish the conflict, as US President Donald Trump warned that Iran would “pay a worth” for stalled peace talks.
Since Israel and america attacked Iran’s nuclear amenities throughout the 12-day battle in June 2025, Iran has not allowed IAEA inspectors to enter nuclear amenities affected by the assault, regardless of a authorized obligation beneath the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to cooperate with the monitoring company.
The company has additionally been unable to verify the stockpile of weapons-grade uranium because the June bombing.
In response to the IAEA, Iran has a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, placing it technically inside attain of reaching 90% weapons-grade degree.
IAEA Director-Common Rafael Grossi warned in a latest interview that its stockpile might permit it to construct as much as 10 nuclear bombs if Iran decides to weaponize its program, however added that doesn’t imply Iran will possess such weapons.
Iran insists it isn’t pursuing nuclear weapons and insists its plans are solely peaceable.
The decision additionally mentioned it “deeply regrets Iran’s failure to redress” its failure to satisfy its non-proliferation obligations over the previous 12 months.
Final June, the IAEA board discovered that Iran was not formally complying with the safeguards settlement for the primary time in 20 years, shortly earlier than america and Israel launched assaults on Iran’s nuclear amenities.
On the coronary heart of the matter is a long-running investigation by the United Nations nuclear watchdog into traces of uranium detected by inspectors at varied undeclared amenities in Iran.
Since 2019, Iran has been unable to offer authorities with “technically dependable solutions” concerning the origin and present location of this nuclear materials.
Western officers suspect that the uranium traces might present additional proof that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program till 2003.
Wednesday’s decision stopped wanting referring Iran to the U.N. Safety Council to think about additional sanctions for its noncompliance, the primary such transfer since February 2006.
However Wednesday’s decision leaves the door open, saying the IAEA Board is “able to take additional motion,” together with referring to the “timing and content material” of a proper noncompliance report by the company for consideration by the UN Safety Council.
