Iran’s refusal to cooperate with the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog has left the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unable to confirm whether Tehran’s nuclear program is ‘entirely peaceful,’ despite the regime’s claims. Director General Rafael Grossi issued a warning that Iran has not only long been barred from access to old and new nuclear sites but has also scrubbed locations to cover up its activities. In 2020, the IAEA discovered man-made particles of enriched uranium at three sites, including Varamin, Marivan, and Turquzabad, giving the agency grounds to suspect that Tehran had once again turned to nuclear ambitions.
Grossi emphasized that the agency has sought explanations from Iran for the presence of these uranium particles, but the country has repeatedly failed to provide technically credible answers. He added thatIran has sought to sanitize the locations, which has impeded Agency verification activities. Grossi reiterated that he has been working closely and intensively with both the U.S. and Iran in support of their bilateral negotiations, despite the lack of progress. The situation has escalated after the IAEA confirmed in a report that Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium by nearly 35% in three months. In February, the IAEA assessed that Iran possessed 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, but by May 17th, it had found that Iran now has approximately 408.6 kilograms, meaning the regime is just a technical step away from being able to produce up to 10 nuclear warheads.
Meanwhile, the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, came out in strong opposition to a U.S. proposal submitted to Tehran to end its nuclear program. Although the document’s specifics remain unclear, the Iranian parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, claimed the proposal did not include any sanction relief. The White House has remained tight-lipped about the details, though some reporting suggests President Donald Trump gave Iran until June 11 to reach a deal. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that the U.S. proposal is not acceptable to Iran and stated that they would present their own proposal via Oman after it is finalized. The situation highlights the growing nuclear tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with both sides preparing counter-proposals and the potential for further escalation.