Grossi: Efforts to Fully Resume Verification with Tehran Continue
The quarterly meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors began on Wednesday, November 18, and will continue until Friday, November 20. Various issues are on the agenda for this session, according to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Al Jazeera.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in his opening statement that efforts and consultations with Iran to restore regular inspection operations in the contry are ongoing.
Grossi added, “I believe progress has been made, and I acknowledge that we have returned to Iran. To date, we have conducted more than 12 inspections.”
The IAEA chief noted that inspectors have returned to Iran and carried out inspections and also design information verifications at many facilities not affected by June’s military attacks.
“We remain in regular contact with Tehran and continue our efforts to fully restore normal verification activities,” Grossi said.
He emphasized that resuming comprehensive inspections-including at damaged sites-requires further engagement so that Iran fulfills its commitments under the NPT agreement.
“I maintain regular communication with Tehran and urge Iran to facilitate agency access to damaged facilities, particularly inventories of low enriched uranium (LEU) and high enriched uranium (HEU), which require urgent attention,” he added.
The director general stated that as signing the Cairo agreement, Iran has facilitated agency access for inspections and design information verification with prior notice at nearly all damaged sites around Tehran. This development is welcomed by the agency.
Grossi noted that despite these steps, the agency has not yet received a report from Iran regarding damaged facilities or associated nuclear material as required under its safeguards commitments. Consequently, no verification activities have been carried out at any Iranian nuclear sites affected by military action so far. While acknowledging some cooperation from Iran during inspections at certain locations, he stressed more constructive engagement is necessary.
“I call on Iran to fully enable effective implementation of safeguards measures consistent with its NPT obligations,” Grossi said.he reaffirmed his readiness for continued cooperation with Tehran in this area.
The director general urged immediate clarification regarding the current status of low enriched uranium (LEU) and high enriched uranium (HEU) stocks in Iran:
“The five-month lack of access by the agency to these nuclear materials means their verification-per standard safeguards procedures-has long been delayed. It is indeed crucial for us to verify this material promptly,” he asserted.
Grossi expressed confidence they will be able to provide accurate reports concerning Iranian nuclear facilities but acknowledged they have not yet visited any nuclear site hit during attacks. He hopes such visits will happen soon.
He praised Iran’s wise decision to remain within the NPT framework.
Addressing allegations about sharing information with Israel-which he denied-he criticized what he described as insufficient compliance by Iran regarding its NPT obligations.
He also highlighted that Iranian stockpiles of enriched uranium persist.
Grossi stated:
“We expect continued cooperation from Iran; however, existing gaps between the agency and Tehran remain unresolved.”
