IAEA chief says most of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is likely still at Isfahan
The Facts
- Rafael Grossi said the majority of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is likely still at the Isfahan nuclear complex.
- Grossi said the IAEA is relying on satellite imagery and other incoming information to assess the site after recent strikes.
- IAEA inspections at Isfahan stopped when the June 2025 war began, and inspectors have not been able to verify the material’s status on the ground since then.
- Grossi said the uranium is still accessible if Iran decides to retrieve it from the bombed locations.
- The issue matters because the stockpile is near weapons-grade material that the IAEA has previously said could be enough for up to 10 nuclear bombs if weaponized.
- One unresolved issue is that the IAEA cannot currently confirm whether the uranium remains where it was last seen or whether agency seals are still intact.
- Grossi said the IAEA has discussed with Russia and other countries the possibility of removing Iran’s enriched uranium or reducing its enrichment level, but that would require political approval.
Context
Why is Isfahan central to this story?
Grossi said the IAEA believes a large share of Iran’s highly enriched uranium was stored at Isfahan when the June 2025 war began and is likely still there, making the site central to assessing Iran’s remaining stockpile after the strikes U.S. News & World R…,Korea Herald.
What can the IAEA verify right now?
The agency says it has satellite images and other information, but Grossi has said inspectors have not had access to the relevant sites since the war began, so the IAEA cannot fully verify the current status of the uranium on the ground CBC News,Anadolu Ajansı.
What options has Grossi mentioned for dealing with the uranium?
Grossi said the material could be removed from Iran or mixed with other material to lower its enrichment level, and he said discussions on that possibility have involved Russia and other countries, though any move would need political agreement TASS,Hill.
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