- Grossi says the IAEA inspected all sites, not bombed.
- Says not possible to inspect during social unrest.
- stresses that Iran must fulfill its nuclear obligations.
DAVOS: The gap with Iran to account for its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and to inspect nuclear facilities bombed by the US and Israel cannot continue forever, UN nuclear watchdog 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 not been able to inspect any of the three key sites that were bombed in June — Natanz, Fordow or Isfahan — Grossi said Reuters in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Iran must first submit 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 about 90% weapons grade level. That is enough material, if enriched further, for 10 nuclear bombs, according to an IAEA benchmark.
No ‘a la carte’ option
Iran has not submitted the special report to the IAEA.
“This can’t go on forever, because at some point I’m going to have to say, ‘Well, I have no idea where this material is,'” which would mean there was no guarantee the material hadn’t been diverted or hidden, Grossi said.
“I don’t have that belief or conclusion at the moment, but what we are saying to Iran is that they have to engage.”
Iran says it is cooperating fully 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 stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Its own guidance is that it should be done monthly.
Grossi said he was exercising “diplomatic caution” but that Iran needed to fulfill its obligations as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“This cannot go on like this for long 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 to pick and choose what they want to comply with.
Asked if the issue could be resolved this spring, he said, “That’s a reasonable time frame.”
Last inspections were in December
One of the “real world” realities Grossi said he must face is the impact of diplomatic efforts to reach a broader deal between Iran and the United States, which has been spearheaded by US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“I can’t ignore it and I wish it well so there can be an understanding without the looming threat of new military activity over there or anything like that,” he said.
The IAEA said in November that it had inspected most of Iran’s nuclear facilities, which were not hit in the US and Israeli strikes. It has since conducted additional inspections until the end of December, Grossi said.
However, it was not possible to conduct inspections during civil unrest, he said, referring to recent protests. Iranian officials have indicated that the unrest has stopped, he said.
“They said things are calm and they have it under 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”.
