UN nuclear watchdog says it’s been unable to inspect Iranian facilities
The UN nuclear watchdog has been unable to inspect nuclear facilities in Iran affected by the war last June, according to a confidential report by the UN nuclear watchdog circulated to member states.
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that it “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran or whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities.”
The IAEA warned that it was “unable to discharge its safeguards responsibilities” that it has under the Safeguards Agreement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, adding that it is “indispensable and urgent” for Tehran to implement its obligations under that Treaty.
The only nuclear facility inspected in Iran by IAEA inspectors since the last report in February has been the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which was visited on June 1-3. The reactor currently running at Bushehr uses uranium from Russia enriched to 4.5 per cent, a low level needed for power generation in such plants.
The confidential report come as tensions have flared in the Middle East. Iranian drones heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait’s main airport on Wednesday, killing one person, wounding dozens of others and briefly closing the airfield -- the latest in back-and-forth attacks by Iran and the US that test a fragile ceasefire.
According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kg of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity -- a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. That stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to weaponise its programme, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned in a recent AP interview.
