IAEA head Rafael Grossi said on Monday that giving the UN nuclear agency access to key nuclear facilities in Iran would have "positive repercussions" for the Islamic republic, as a draft resolution seen by AFP proposes referring Tehran to the UN Security Council.
What did the IAEA say about Iran recently?
Grossi told a press conference that reengagement offers the fastest path to progress. "The best, shortest way for a positive outcome is for Iran to engage with us," he said, opening the IAEA board of governors' quarterly meeting on Monday.
The remarks come as western powers push for a fresh Security Council referral over Iran's nuclear compliance.
Why does the IAEA not have access to Iran's nuclear sites?
The International Atomic Energy Agency has not had access to key nuclear facilities in Iran since Israel, joined by the United States, launched a 12-day conflict in June 2025 that included strikes on nuclear sites. Nuclear facilities have also been hit in the latest war, which erupted on February 28, and the IAEA has repeatedly urged access.
In a statement ahead of Monday's meeting, Grossi called the lack of contact with Iran "regrettable." "These issues are not going to disappear until we address them, until we have the necessary access, until we can return," he said.
What does the draft UN resolution on Iran propose?
A resolution drafted by the United States, Britain, France and Germany, expected to be submitted and voted on this week, seeks to refer Iran to the UN Security Council for failing to comply with its nuclear reporting obligations. The draft, seen by AFP, asks Grossi to "submit this resolution to all members of the agency and to the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations."
Asked whether such a referral was the right course of action, Grossi said that "my job with Iran continues, irrespective of the resolution." "If Iran engages with us in a serious dialogue, if we can start getting access... I can guarantee to you that this will have very, very positive repercussions," he said.
How much enriched uranium does Iran reportedly have?
Prior to the June 2025 strikes, the IAEA calculated that Iran possessed approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, close to the 90 percent needed to make a bomb and well above the 3.67 percent limit set by a 2015 now-defunct agreement with Iran. Since June 2025, the fate of this stockpile has remained uncertain.
How has Iran responded to the referral push?
Iran's mission to the UN said on X that the draft resolution was a "new desperate action" that would bring "no benefit." In June, the board approved a western resolution demanding that Iran immediately provide information and give access to its uranium stockpile and production facilities.
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