IAEA Unable to Verify Iran's Enriched Uranium Stockpile

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it has made no progress in verifying the status and location of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, raising renewed concerns over the country's nuclear programme.

According to a confidential IAEA report circulated among member states, the UN nuclear watchdog has still been unable to regain access to several Iranian nuclear facilities that were damaged or destroyed during US and Israeli attacks in June 2025.

The agency said its lack of information about Iran's nuclear material, combined with its inability to access key facilities, represents a serious proliferation concern that requires urgent attention.

The IAEA said Iran had accumulated an estimated 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to as much as 60 percent uranium-235 before the June 2025 attacks. The material is significantly below the roughly 90 percent enrichment level generally associated with weapons-grade uranium, but could potentially be further enriched.

The agency has been unable to establish how much of the stockpile remains, whether any of it has been moved or processed, or precisely where the material is currently stored.

The lack of access has prevented international inspectors from independently accounting for the material and determining whether Iran's nuclear activities remain within agreed safeguards.

The latest findings add to longstanding concerns over the IAEA's ability to monitor Iran's nuclear programme. The agency has repeatedly called for greater access and cooperation from Tehran, while Iran has maintained that its nuclear activities are peaceful.

The dispute has intensified following the attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, with Tehran restricting access to facilities targeted during the conflict.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has previously warned that the standoff over inspections and Iran's enriched uranium stockpile cannot continue indefinitely.

The agency's inability to verify the whereabouts and condition of the uranium stockpile leaves a significant gap in international knowledge about Iran's current nuclear capabilities.

The issue is likely to remain a major point of contention between Tehran and Western governments as efforts continue to establish a framework for renewed nuclear monitoring.