Iran Blocks Inspectors, Says U.N. Nuclear Chief

 

While inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) returned to Iran in August 2025, Iran has not granted them access to its main enrichment sites.

 

The country has accused the IAEA of being a tool for spying and intelligence gathering, particularly in the wake of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

 

Reasons for Iran's denial of access

 

    Response to airstrikes: In July 2025, after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes hit key nuclear facilities, Iran's president ordered cooperation with the IAEA to be suspended. This was a direct response to attacks that Iran argued compromised the safety and security of its nuclear program.

 

    Allegations of spying: Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, publicly dismissed IAEA chief Rafael Grossi's request to visit bombed sites as "meaningless and possibly even malign in intent". Hardline Iranian media, such as Kayhan newspaper, also accused Grossi of spying for Israel.

 

    Inspections limited by law: Following the airstrikes, the Iranian parliament passed a law that strictly limited access for IAEA inspectors. Under the law, inspectors can only visit sites with the approval of the Supreme National Security Council. This has enabled Iran to allow inspections at less critical sites, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant, while blocking access to main enrichment centers like Fordow and Natanz.

 

    Negotiating leverage: Iranian officials have also linked cooperation with the IAEA to the potential reimposition of "snapback" sanctions by European powers. Tehran has warned that if sanctions are triggered, talks with the IAEA would likely cease.

 

Status of inspections (August 2025)

 

    Partial access resumed: As of late August 2025, a team of IAEA inspectors has been allowed back into Iran for the first time since the July suspension.

    Access remains restricted: While inspectors visited the Bushehr power plant, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that full access to all facilities, especially the main enrichment sites damaged in the attacks, has not been granted.

    Cleanup and concealment: Reports also emerged that Iran is attempting to clean up and demolish structures at some damaged nuclear sites. This effort, according to a report cited by the Times of Israel, may be intended to sanitize the sites and prevent future inspections from finding evidence related to past nuclear weapons-related work.

“Iran hasn't agreed to give the United Nations atomic agency access to the country's main enrichment sites, the agency's chief said Wednesday, though a team of international inspectors recently returned following June's Israeli and U.S. strikes.

 

The U.S. and Israeli bombing strikes heavily damaged Iran's nuclear sites at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz. The attacks delayed Iran's program by up to two years, the Pentagon said, but experts are trying to pinpoint the status of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and Tehran's potential to rebuild its nuclear capability.

 

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters in Washington that it is essential that inspectors visit those sites, and that the agency is in talks with Iranian officials on how to do so. "I would say our work has started," he said. "We are not yet where I would like us to be."

 

Grossi said the agency doesn't believe there has been any major shipment of nuclear material from the sites since they were attacked by the U.S. and Israel, based on satellite photos and other information.

 

Grossi's comments come at a critical moment in efforts to contain Iran's nuclear activities. Iran produced enough highly enriched uranium for up to 10 nuclear weapons before the U.S. and Israeli strikes in June caused severe damage to many of its key facilities.

 

On Aug. 28, Britain, France and Germany are likely to reimpose on Iran all the international sanctions lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal over Tehran's broad breaches of the agreement, according to diplomats involved in discussions.

 

President Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018, and Iran started ramping up its nuclear program a year later. Europe stuck by the pact.

 

If the three European countries reimpose the measures, they will tell the United Nations Security Council on Aug. 28 that they are triggering a 30-day snapback process that would put Tehran under the comprehensive sanctions regime it faced before the deal, European diplomats say.

 

Such a step wouldn't end diplomacy, but would put Tehran under pressure to provide the inspectors with the access the U.N. agency is seeking, and agree to talks with the U.S. before the 30 days are up.

 

The U.S. and Tehran have been at odds over the format of future talks.

 

The Trump administration is insisting that such negotiations must involve direct meetings between U.S. and Iranian officials. Iran has insisted that talks be indirect, and is seeking an assurance that it won't be subject to future attacks.

 

Grossi met on Wednesday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and conferred on Tuesday with Trump's Iran envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

 

Iran has taken modest steps to improve ties with Grossi's agency, including allowing inspectors to visit Bushehr this week, where Iran has a nuclear-power plant that relies on fuel supplied by Russia. But Grossi said broader inspections are needed, and the agency won't take a gradual approach.

 

"We are notifying of the inspections that we need to carry out. It is not the only place," Grossi said of Bushehr. "There is no such thing as an a la carte inspection work."

 

Tehran says its nuclear work isn't part of a weapons program. The U.N. agency repeatedly has warned it can no longer vouch for the peaceful nature of Iran's activities.

 

U.S. officials have been broadly supportive of European snapback diplomacy.” [1]

 

1. World News: Iran Blocks Inspectors, Says U.N. Nuclear Chief. Gordon, Michael R; Norman, Laurence.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 28 Aug 2025: A7.