IAEA Board Opens With Grossi Warning of Year-Long Access Loss; Western Powers Push UN Security Council Referral

The IAEA Board of Governors opened its quarterly meeting in Vienna with Director General Rafael Grossi telling members that 'it is more than a year since the Agency lost continuity of knowledge' over Iran's nuclear material, including its stockpile enriched to 60%, following the June 2025 strikes on Iranian facilities. Grossi said Iran had provided no information about its declared nuclear materials or facilities and that inspectors had no on-site access for verification, calling it a serious proliferation concern requiring 'constructive engagement to restore full oversight.' France, Germany, the UK and the US are pushing a draft resolution — not yet formally submitted — that would refer Iran's nuclear file back to the UN Security Council for the first time in two decades, asking Grossi to transmit his reports to both the Security Council and General Assembly and calling on Iran to restore inspector access. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei rejected the move, attributing the access restrictions to the US-Israeli strikes on nuclear infrastructure and warning Tehran would take 'necessary measures' — including possible NPT withdrawal — if the resolution proceeds. Russia and China, as permanent Security Council members, could block any subsequent Council action.