IAEA chief urges Iran’s cooperation as nuclear summit begins

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog on Monday urged Iran to fully cooperate with the agency’s investigations, warning that unresolved questions about undeclared nuclear sites and enriched uranium stockpiles continue to cast doubt on the peaceful nature of Tehran’s atomic program.

Speaking at the opening of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors meeting, Director General Rafael Grossi said Iran had failed to provide credible explanations for traces of man-made uranium found at three undeclared sites—Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad—and had taken actions to obstruct verification efforts.

“Iran has repeatedly either not answered, or not provided technically credible answers,” Grossi told the board, adding that Iran’s moves to sanitize these locations further impeded oversight. “These locations were part of an undeclared structured nuclear program carried out until the early 2000s.”

Grossi said Iran’s decision to halt implementation of modified Code 3.1—a legal obligation under its safeguards agreement—had significantly weakened the IAEA’s monitoring capabilities.

Tehran’s stockpile of over 400 kgof highly enriched uranium is raising fresh proliferation concerns.

The IAEA is also closely engaged in ongoing diplomatic efforts between Iran and the United States. Grossi said he had held recent talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Cairo, alongside Egyptian officials, and stressed that any future deal must include a strong verification role for the Agency.

“I call upon Iran urgently to cooperate fully,” Grossi said. “Only a diplomatic solution, strongly backed by IAEA verification, can ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”