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The United Nations nuclear watchdog has stated that it is increasingly concerned regarding a nuclear facility in Iran that remains uninspected. In a report reviewed by news agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that it lacks knowledge regarding the exact location of the facility or whether it currently houses nuclear material.
Uranium Enrichment Plans and Restricted Access
Iran notified the IAEA of its intention to establish the uranium enrichment plant in Isfahan just one day prior to Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last June. The United States subsequently joined the military operation later that same month. Following the outbreak of the recent conflict, Tehran limited IAEA inspector access to its nuclear facilities, hindering the agency’s ability to verify the country’s enriched uranium reserves.
Under the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement, Iran committed to capping its enriched uranium stockpile at 300kg and restricting enrichment levels to 3.67% purity. Tehran later surpassed both limitations. Prior to the military strikes in June 2025, the country had amassed an estimated 441kg of uranium enriched up to 60%, a level nearing weapons-grade purity.
Damage to Isfahan Complex and Proliferation Concerns
The Isfahan nuclear complex sustained severe damage during the US and Israeli attacks, particularly to its surface structures, while the status of its underground sections remains uncertain. The IAEA suspects that a significant portion of Iran’s highly enriched uranium was housed at the location.
As stated in the agency’s latest report, “The Agency’s lack of information about [Iran’s] nuclear material and access to facilities to verify it is a matter of serious proliferation concern… and needs to be rectified with the utmost urgency.”
Timeline of Announcements and Inspections
Tehran made public its plans for the Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant (IFEP) on June 12, 2025, following an IAEA resolution that found Iran in non-compliance with its nuclear safeguard obligations. Although Iranian authorities initially consented to an inspector visit, the inspection was called off after Israel initiated military strikes the following day.
The recent appeals from the IAEA arrive nearly a year after a similar request was issued. At that time, the watchdog reported it had only accessed a portion of the 13 nuclear sites left unaffected by the strikes, while gaining no access to the seven sites that were impacted. Both Washington and Tel Aviv stated that the military actions against Iranian nuclear infrastructure were designed to stop the nation from acquiring nuclear weapons, an ambition Tehran has continuously rejected, maintaining that its nuclear activities are strictly peaceful and civilian in nature.
