Vienna/Tehran – June 1, 2025
A new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has raised serious concerns about Iran's nuclear intentions, revealing that the country has significantly increased its stockpile of enriched uranium—some of which is near weapons-grade level. The revelations have reignited fears that Tehran may be edging closer to developing a nuclear weapon.
According to the IAEA’s confidential quarterly report, Iran now possesses more than 5,000 kilograms of enriched uranium, including around 125 kilograms enriched up to 60% purity—just a short technical step away from the 90% purity required for a nuclear bomb. This level of enrichment has no practical civilian use, experts say.
The IAEA further reported that its inspectors continue to face restrictions in Iran, hampering the agency's ability to monitor nuclear facilities fully. Key surveillance cameras remain offline, and certain sites remain inaccessible to inspectors.
The United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany have expressed deep concern over the findings. “Iran’s current trajectory is deeply troubling and inconsistent with its commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement. “We urge Iran to return to full compliance and allow complete access to the IAEA.”
Iran, however, has rejected allegations of weaponization. Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said the country’s nuclear program is strictly for peaceful purposes and accused Western powers of “politicizing” technical issues.
This report comes amid ongoing diplomatic stagnation, with talks to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) still stalled. The deal, which limited Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, began to unravel after the U.S. withdrew in 2018.
As international scrutiny mounts, calls for renewed negotiations have intensified. However, with trust at an all-time low and tensions in the Middle East already high, the IAEA’s latest findings could prove to be a turning point in global non-proliferation efforts.
The IAEA Board of Governors is expected to hold an emergency session later this week to discuss possible responses, including potential censure or referral to the United Nations Security Council.
