IAEA Chief: Iran Nuclear Site Inspections Must Resume Before Any Deal

VIENNA, Austria — The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday that Iran's return to nuclear site inspections is an indispensable prerequisite for any nuclear agreement. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi told Al Jazeera that the agency has been unable to verify Iran's declared uranium stock for more than eight months, severely limiting its capacity to assess the current state of Iran's nuclear activities. Grossi said the agency assumes Iran's nuclear material remains at the same sites since the latest attacks began, with Iranian officials confirming this to the IAEA. He emphasized that restarting inspections and international monitoring operations is critical to verify the nature of Iran's nuclear activities going forward. The IAEA has faced increasing challenges in monitoring Iran's nuclear program amid ongoing tensions. Grossi has repeatedly called for full access to Iranian nuclear facilities to ensure compliance with international non-proliferation standards.