As the Iran war entered its 103rd day, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, added new diplomatic pressure on Tehran, passing a resolution that demands urgent cooperation from Iran and access to nuclear sites damaged during the conflict.
The IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors approved the measure Wednesday, calling on Iran to provide information about its enriched uranium stockpile and allow inspectors to verify nuclear material and facilities. The resolution was backed by the United States, Britain, France, and Germany and passed with 21 votes in favor, three against, and 10 abstentions, according to Reuters.
Russia, China, and Niger voted against the measure.
The resolution does not immediately send Iran back to the U.N. Security Council, but it raises the possibility of further action if Tehran does not comply. It also deepens a confrontation between Iran and the IAEA at a moment when the war has already widened the political and military divide between Tehran, Washington, and Israel.
Iran condemned the vote, accusing the agency and Western governments of ignoring attacks on its nuclear facilities while demanding access to sites Tehran says remain sensitive because of security concerns. Iranian officials argue that the watchdog's latest action reflects Western pressure rather than neutral oversight.
That allegation is now at the center of the story. For the IAEA and its Western backers, the issue is nuclear accountability. For Tehran, the timing makes the resolution look political.
The dispute focuses in part on Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity, a level close to weapons-grade. The IAEA has estimated that before the strikes, Iran had 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to that level, enough, if further enriched, for about 10 nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.
Inspectors have not been able to fully verify what happened to that material after attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. The IAEA says Iran must disclose the condition of affected facilities and account for nuclear material under international safeguards.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has urged Iran to restore cooperation, saying inspectors need access to verify that nuclear material has not been diverted. The agency has said its mandate is technical, not political, and that it is responsible for ensuring Iran complies with its safeguards obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
But Tehran says the agency is effectively punishing Iran after military strikes damaged sites that were already under inspection. That position has gained support from Russia and China, which opposed the resolution and have repeatedly criticized Western efforts to isolate Iran through international institutions.
