The board of the U.N. atomic watchdog demanded on Wednesday that Iran fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran must provide complete information about its near weapons-grade nuclear material stockpile and grant inspectors access to its nuclear sites. The resolution, passed at the IAEA’s Vienna headquarters, emphasized the urgency of these actions to ensure no nuclear material is diverted for weaponization.
According to anonymous diplomats, 21 of the 35-member IAEA board voted for the resolution. Russia, China, and Niger opposed, while ten countries abstained, and one did not vote due to arrears. France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States proposed the resolution. A senior Western diplomat stated it aims to maintain diplomatic pressure on Iran to comply with legal safeguards obligations.
The resolution comes amid heightened Middle East tensions. The U.S. conducted airstrikes against Iran, and Tehran retaliated against regional countries. These escalating hostilities threaten peace efforts. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iran would face consequences for stalled negotiations.
Since a U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites in June 2025, Iran has denied IAEA inspectors access to these sites, despite its legal obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The agency cannot verify Iran’s near weapons-grade uranium stockpile, which the IAEA reports as 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% purity. IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi noted that this could potentially allow Iran to create ten nuclear bombs, should it choose to weaponize its program. However, he affirmed that Iran has not yet developed such weapons.
Iran claims its nuclear program is peaceful. Iran’s IAEA ambassador Reza Najafi criticized the resolution, asserting that it overlooks Iran’s cooperation even under war conditions. He argued that the resolution describes the situation as normal while Iran deals with unprecedented security threats. Najafi mentioned Iran granted IAEA access to all unaffected facilities.
The resolution expresses regret over Iran’s noncompliance with its nonproliferation obligations over the past year. The IAEA board officially found Iran noncompliant last June for the first time in 20 years, before U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran’s sites. A critical investigation by the U.N. nuclear watchdog involves uranium traces detected at undeclared Iranian sites. Since 2019, Iran has not provided credible explanations for the origins or location of this nuclear material. Western officials suspect these traces might indicate Iran’s secret nuclear weapons program until 2003.
Wednesday’s resolution did not advance to referring Iran to the U.N. Security Council for further sanctions. However, the IAEA board indicated it could pursue additional actions depending on future developments. The board will be prepared to take further steps, including addressing a formal noncompliance report to the U.N. Security Council.