Key facts
- Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami stated that attacked nuclear sites cannot be inspected by the IAEA without new security protocols.
- Iran has rejected calls for inspections of nuclear facilities bombed by the US in June, demanding the IAEA define 'post-war conditions'.
- The US military bombed three major Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—during a conflict with Israel in June.
- IAEA head Rafael Grossi seeks to visit damaged sites to ensure safety and confirm inspector access, citing Iran's treaty obligations.
- Iran's ambassador to the UN stated that UN Security Council Resolution 2231 expired on October 18, 2025.
Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, has stated that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will not be able to inspect Iranian nuclear sites that have been attacked in recent months. Eslami indicated that such inspections are contingent upon the IAEA developing specific protocols for dealing with attacked sites and ensuring their security, asserting that Iran remains in a wartime situation. He further accused the United States and Israel of pressuring the IAEA and using it as a pawn, while criticizing the agency for failing to condemn recent military strikes on Iranian facilities.
Iran has formally communicated its position to the IAEA, insisting that rules must be defined and codified for cases where nuclear facilities under international safeguards are subjected to military attack. The US military bombed three major Iranian nuclear facilities—Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—during a 12-day conflict with Israel in June, resulting in significant casualties according to Iran's Ministry of Health. Following these strikes, Iran expelled IAEA inspectors, alleging the agency's inaction.
IAEA head Rafael Grossi, however, seeks to visit the damaged sites to ensure their safety and confirm inspector access, emphasizing Iran's obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its comprehensive safeguards agreement. Grossi noted that Iran's nuclear program is extensive and not limited to the three targeted facilities.
Separately, Iran's ambassador to the UN, Amir-Saeid Iravani, stated that UN Security Council Resolution 2231 expired on October 18, 2025, and therefore no longer has legal effect. The US representative at a UN Security Council meeting on nuclear non-proliferation countered that Washington remains open to talks if Iran agrees to direct dialogue, with the condition that there can be no enrichment inside Iran.