Iran denies IAEA access to Isfahan Nuclear facility, confidential report Reveals

Vienna: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed serious concern over the lack of information about Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and restrictions on access to several nuclear facilities, warning that the disruption in monitoring activities needs to be addressed urgently.

According to a confidential quarterly report circulated among the agency’s member states, the IAEA has been unable to obtain essential information about Iran’s nuclear materials and activities because inspectors have not been granted access to key facilities.

The report states that Iran has allowed access to the Bushehr nuclear power plant but has withheld permission to inspect other sites. The agency has also received no updated information about the condition of Iranian nuclear facilities or the nuclear material stored at those locations.

The report specifically highlights restrictions on inspections at Iran’s Isfahan uranium enrichment facility. Tehran has not permitted the agency to examine the site or review information concerning its design.

The IAEA also says it does not know the precise location of the Isfahan facility or the quantity and status of nuclear material present there, raising further questions about its ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear programme.

The report warns that the agency cannot currently reach a conclusion that all activities under Iran’s nuclear programme are exclusively peaceful.

It stresses that verification activities inside Iran must resume without further delay to address outstanding safeguards concerns and restore the agency’s ability to monitor the country’s nuclear materials and facilities.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has called on Iran to engage constructively with the agency and cooperate in resolving the outstanding nuclear safeguards issues.

Grossi also expressed concern over what he described as Iran’s reluctance to cooperate on addressing questions related to its nuclear programme.

The latest report adds to international concerns over the lack of transparency surrounding Iran’s enriched uranium and the agency’s limited ability to independently verify developments at several nuclear sites.