Standoff with Iran over inspections cannot go on forever, IAEA chief says

The standoff with Iran over accounting for its stock of highly enriched uranium and inspecting nuclear facilities bombed by the United States and Israel cannot go on forever, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi says.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has inspected all 13 declared nuclear facilities in Iran that were not bombed, but has been unable to inspect any of the three key sites that were bombed in June — Natanz, Fordow or Isfahan — Grossi tells Reuters at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Iran must first file a report to the IAEA on what happened to those sites and material, including an estimated 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% weapons-grade level. That is enough material, if enriched further, for 10 nuclear bombs, according to an IAEA yardstick.

Iran has not submitted that special report to the IAEA.

“This cannot go on forever because at some point, I will have to say, ‘Well, I don’t have any idea where this material is,'” which would mean there is no guarantee the material has not been diverted or hidden, Grossi says.

“I do not have that conviction or conclusion at the moment, but what we are saying to Iran is that they need to engage.”