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Iran tells UN nuclear agency that monitoring cannot proceed while it is under threat
On Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported it remains unable to verify the location, operational status, or contents of Iran's Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant after Tehran continued to refuse inspector access to the underground facility.
Since a 12-day conflict in June 2025, Iran has denied inspection access, citing "persistent, explicit, and public threats" from the United States and a $20 million reward offered for nuclear program information.
Without verification, the IAEA cannot account for Iran's stockpile of 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, a gap the agency described as a "matter of serious proliferation concern" requiring urgent rectification.
Following the IAEA Board of Governors' September referral of Iran's nuclear file to the United Nations Security Council, the board is scheduled to discuss the escalating crisis during a meeting next week.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi urged Iran to take "incremental steps" toward restoring monitoring, but Tehran maintains that discussions cannot resume until the root causes of current security threats are addressed.