The U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, reiterated concerns this week that Iran‘s suspension of cooperation with the agency has prevented inspectors from fully monitoring the country’s nuclear program since 2025.
The IAEA, which works to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting the peaceful use of nuclear technology, said Iran’s obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty remain in force despite Tehran’s objections.
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The report comes as the IAEA’s 35-nation board of governors plans to meet next week. The last report was issued just days before the February U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
“The Director General has emphasized to Iran that it is indispensable and urgent to implement effectively the NPT Safeguards Agreement … and that its implementation cannot be suspended by Iran under any circumstances,” the agency said in a report obtained by Reuters.
The warning comes after President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly cited dismantling Iran’s nuclear program as a central objective of the war in Iran. Following U.S. bombing raids on several Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, Iran enacted a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA.
Since then, the agency says it has lost visibility into key parts of Iran’s nuclear activities. “The Agency’s lack of access to verify the previously declared HEU and LEU, for nearly a year … is a matter of proliferation concern and of compliance with the NPT Safeguards Agreement,” the report said, referring to highly enriched and low-enriched uranium stockpiles.
The IAEA also warned its “loss of continuity of knowledge” regarding nuclear material at facilities damaged in the U.S. and Israeli strikes “needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency.”
Iran has argued normal safeguards inspections are no longer feasible. In a February 2026 response to the agency, Tehran stated that “in light of prevailing circumstances … the expectation of the normal implementation of safeguards in Iran is, from legal, technical, and operational perspectives, untenable.” Iran also said facilities at Isfahan that inspectors sought to visit had been subjected to “illegal military attacks.”
The agency has repeatedly sought access to affected sites, including the Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant, and said it remains prepared to conduct long-delayed inspections either at the facility itself or at an alternate location arranged by Iranian authorities.
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The latest dispute comes as the IAEA continues an unresolved investigation into Iran’s past nuclear activities. That inquiry, which began in 2018, remains open because Iran has not provided what the agency considers credible explanations for uranium particles found at undeclared sites.
Separately, the IAEA board of governors passed a resolution in June 2025, finding Iran in noncompliance with its safeguards obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
