Key facts
- The US, Britain, France, and Germany have drafted a resolution to refer Iran to the UN Security Council.
- The referral is due to Iran's failure to cooperate with nuclear investigations and noncompliance with nonproliferation obligations.
- Iran has not allowed IAEA inspectors access to nuclear sites affected by recent strikes.
- The IAEA has warned that Iran's continued denial constitutes a proliferation risk.
- Iran possesses a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% purity.
The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have drafted a resolution for the U.N. nuclear watchdog's Board of Governors to consider referring Iran to the UN Security Council. This diplomatic action stems from Iran's ongoing failure to cooperate with investigations into its nuclear program and comply with its nonproliferation obligations.
The draft resolution requests the IAEA director general to transmit the resolution and previous ones to UN Security Council members. The move follows the IAEA board's finding in June of last year that Iran was in noncompliance for the first time in two decades. Since then, Iran has denied IAEA inspectors access to nuclear sites, particularly those affected by recent strikes by the U.S. and Israel, and verification of its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium has become more difficult.
The IAEA has warned that Iran's continued denial of access constitutes a significant proliferation risk. The agency reported that Iran maintains a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity, which could theoretically be used to build multiple nuclear bombs. Furthermore, there has been no progress in the IAEA's investigation into uranium traces found at undeclared sites.
While a referral to the UN Security Council could lead to legally binding measures like sanctions, the effectiveness of such actions is uncertain due to the veto power held by Iran's allies, Russia and China. The resolution also expresses support for a diplomatic solution to address international concerns regarding Iran's nuclear activities.