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The United Nations' nuclear watchdog has passed a resolution demanding that Iran provide complete information on its enriched uranium stockpile and grant inspectors access to verify it, as the agency warned it is unable to discharge its safeguards responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) governing board approved the resolution on Wednesday, with 21 votes in favour, 10 abstentions and three against — from Russia, China and Niger. The resolution, drawn up by Britain, France, Germany and the United States, called on Iran to provide "complete information" on its enriched uranium stocks and "all access" for inspectors to verify them.

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The resolution came amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran. The two countries exchanged strikes after the US blamed Iran for downing an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel and Iran traded fire over the weekend. The strikes marked the most significant escalation since a ceasefire in April, according to Al Jazeera.

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said the communication channel with Tehran is "broken" and called on Iran to "re-engage" to allow the agency to resume oversight of its nuclear programme. "It's very important that we re-engage," Grossi told the 35-member Board of Governors, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

The IAEA's ability to verify Iran's nuclear activities has been severely hampered since US and Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear sites last June. According to a confidential IAEA report circulated to member states, the agency "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."

Only the Bushehr nuclear power plant has been inspected since the attacks, with inspectors visiting on June 1-3. The reactor at Bushehr uses uranium from Russia enriched to 4.5 percent, a low level needed for power generation.

Key claims

  • The IAEA estimates Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kg of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity, a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90 percent. This stockpile could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs if weaponized, the agency said.
  • Iran's main nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan were hit in the June attacks. Iran subsequently suspended cooperation with the IAEA, and inspectors have not seen the material since, according to Al Jazeera.
  • US President Donald Trump said preventing Iran from producing a nuclear weapon is a key driver of the ongoing military operation against Iran. He also said Iran "will have to pay the price" for taking "too long to negotiate a deal" and demanded that Israel and Iran immediately stop shooting.
  • Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities "halted verification activities and forced Agency inspectors to leave Iran for safety reasons." He accused the US of seeking to "turn the consequences of its illegal attack into a case against the Islamic Republic of Iran."
  • Iran's Ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, called the resolution "counterproductive, politically motivated, and legally flawed," warning it could complicate ceasefire talks. Iran also warned that the board must not be instrumentalized to relieve attackers of responsibility.
The resolution passed amid ongoing military exchanges. Jordan reported downing five Iranian missiles targeting the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, and a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz suffered an engine room fire with two crew missing and one casualty, according to Deutsche Welle. Iranian drones had earlier heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait's main airport, killing one person and wounding dozens.