IAEA Chief Says Iran Nuclear Inspections Should Resume Soon Amid Uncertainty Over Enriched Uranium

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday that inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities are expected to resume as soon as possible under a fragile interim deal between Washington and Tehran. Grossi said the agency’s top priority is verifying the location of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Since recent strikes on sites in Isfahan, Fordow and Natanz, the IAEA says it has lost full visibility over more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent. Experts assess that this amount could be enough for Iran to produce up to 10 nuclear bombs if it chose to move toward weapons.

Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes, but it is the only country in the world enriching uranium to such a high level without a declared weapons program. Grossi said the memorandum between the sides explicitly requires all nuclear activity to be under inspection, but Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei denied reports that inspectors would visit the sites hit by U.S. strikes last year. Grossi insisted, “It will happen. Whether it happens the day after tomorrow or in 10 days, this is an essential part of the agreement.”

At the same time, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a round of meetings in the Persian Gulf, including in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, to advance implementation of the agreement. The deal calls for Iran to dilute its uranium stockpile in exchange for relief from sanctions on Iranian oil, but the ceasefire is already under pressure from renewed violence in Lebanon and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. International concern is growing that Iran may try to move the atomic material to undisclosed sites before inspectors arrive.