The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has voiced growing concern about Iran’s newest enrichment plant at Isfahan, urging Tehran to grant inspectors access to all nuclear sites without delay.
In a confidential report circulated to member states ahead of next week’s quarterly meeting of the agency’s 35-country board, the UN watchdog highlighted Isfahan as a key location of interest. The report points to the presence of a newly declared enrichment facility and the storage of uranium enriched to near-bomb-grade levels at the site.
The findings come as nuclear talks between the United States and Iran continue, with the latest round held on Thursday ending without a breakthrough. The report could bolster Washington’s claims that Tehran has not been fully transparent about its nuclear programme, particularly as US President Donald Trump has reinforced military deployments in the region and warned of potential new action.
Last June, US and Israeli strikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities. Since then, Iran has declined to clarify the status of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium or allow inspectors access to certain enrichment locations.
“While the Agency acknowledged that the military attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities had created an unprecedented situation, it is critical for it to conduct verification activities in Iran without any further delay,” the report stated. It described inspection access as “indispensable and urgent” and noted that progress in US-Iran negotiations could positively influence safeguards implementation.
According to IAEA estimates, Iran possessed 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% before last year’s attacks. By the agency’s benchmarks, that amount could be further refined to produce material sufficient for roughly 10 nuclear weapons. Western powers believe most of that stockpile remains intact, though Washington has called for Tehran to relinquish it.
The report also offered new details about activity at Isfahan. Diplomats have previously said much of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium was stored in a tunnel complex there, which appears to have avoided major damage during the strikes. For the first time, the IAEA confirmed that uranium enriched to 20% and 60% had been stored at the site. Satellite imagery showed consistent vehicle movement around the tunnel entrances where the material was kept.
Shortly before Israel launched its attack, Iran announced plans to establish a fourth enrichment facility at Isfahan. The IAEA said it has not been granted access to that site and does not know its exact location or whether it is operational.
“It is a matter of increasing concern that Iran has never provided the Agency with access to its fourth declared enrichment facility,” the report said, underscoring tensions ahead of next week’s board discussions.
