The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has referred Iran to the UN Security Council for failing to comply with its obligations under the non-proliferation treaty, marking the first such action in two decades. The decision by the IAEA's board of governors in Vienna stems from a lack of transparency regarding Iran's nuclear material, including its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and inspectors' limited access to nuclear facilities.
Iran has condemned the IAEA's resolution, attributing inspection disruptions to strikes on its nuclear sites by the United States and Israel. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated on X that such disruptions were being used as a pretext for the resolution. He asserted that attacks on safeguarded nuclear facilities preceded the IAEA's action.
According to the agency, the resolution was put forward by the U.S., United Kingdom, France, and Germany. It was supported by 23 countries, with eight abstentions. China and Russia were among the eight nations that voted against the resolution, alongside Niger. The resolution requests IAEA chief Rafael Grossi to report Iran's non-compliance to the Security Council.
Iran has stated that its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes, a claim questioned by the U.S., Israel, and several European nations concerned about potential weapons development. Senior U.S. officials reported that at the outset of the recent conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran, Tehran possessed approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity. This material could be rapidly enriched to the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade uranium.
The IAEA has not had unfettered access to Iran's nuclear facilities since a series of strikes by Israel and the U.S. occurred in June 2025, and again during a subsequent conflict that began on February 28. Iran contends that these attacks on facilities, including uranium enrichment plants at Natanz and Fordo, are the reason it is restricting IAEA inspector access. Tehran has indicated a willingness to allow inspections as part of a broader settlement to end the ongoing conflict.