IAEA chief presses Iran over missing nuclear material

• Grossi says IAEA inspected all sites, not bombed ones. 
• Says not feasible to inspect during social unrest.
• Stresses Iran must meet its nuclear obligations.

DAVOS: The standoff with Iran over accounting for its stock of highly enriched uranium and inspecting nuclear facilities bombed by the United States and Israel cannot go on forever, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has inspected all 13 declared nuclear facilities in Iran that were not bombed, but has been unable to inspect any of the three key sites that were bombed in June – Natanz, Fordow or Isfahan – Grossi told Reuters in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Iran must first file a report to the IAEA on what happened to those sites and material, including an estimated 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% weapons-grade level. That is enough material, if enriched further, for 10 nuclear bombs, according to an IAEA yardstick.

No ‘a la carte’ option

Iran has not submitted that special report to the IAEA.

“This cannot go on forever because at some point, I will have to say, ‘Well, I don’t have any idea where this material is,’” which would mean there was no guarantee the material had not been diverted or hidden, Grossi said.

“I do not have that conviction or conclusion at the moment, but what we are saying to Iran is that they need to engage.”

Iran says it is fully co-operating with the IAEA. Its government could not immediately be reached for comment.

It is now at least seven months since the IAEA last verified Iran’s stock of highly enriched uranium. Its own guidance is that it should be done monthly.

Grossi said he was exercising “diplomatic prudence”, but that Iran had to meet its obligations as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

“This cannot go on like this for a long time without me, unfortunately, having to declare them in non-compliance,” he said, noting that parties to the NPT do not have an “a la carte” option where they can pick and choose what to comply with.

Asked if the issue could be resolved this spring, he said: “That is a reasonable time frame.”

Latest inspections were in December

One of the “real world” realities Grossi said he must face is the influence of diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching a broader agreement between Iran and the United States that have been spearheaded by US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

“I cannot ignore it, and I wish it well so that there can be an understanding without the looming threat of new military activity over there or something of the sort,” he said.

The IAEA said in November it had inspected most of Iran’s nuclear facilities that were not struck in the US and Israeli attacks. It has since carried out further inspections until late December, Grossi said.

It was not possible, however, to carry out inspections during civil unrest, he said, referring to recent protests. Iranian officials have indicated the unrest has stopped, he said.

“They said that things are calm and they are in control, etc.,” Grossi said. “If this is the situation, shouldn’t we resume (inspections)?”

Grossi said he would meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in “a matter of days, weeks”.