Tehran Criticizes IAEA Over Reports on Enriched Uranium Stockpile
Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected recent claims from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding its nuclear program, calling them inaccurate and politically motivated. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking at a press conference in Tehran on Monday, criticized IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi for his statements about Iran’s enriched uranium production, arguing that such remarks went beyond the agency’s mandate.
Baghaei dismissed the IAEA’s latest report, which indicated that Iran had significantly increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity since December. The report suggested that, if further refined, Iran’s current uranium reserves could be enough for six nuclear weapons. Grossi echoed these concerns in public statements, drawing a sharp rebuke from Iranian officials.
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“The IAEA director should remain within his professional duties rather than making political assumptions,” Baghaei said, insisting that Iran’s nuclear activities comply with international agreements, including the Non-Proliferation Treaty. He suggested that Western political pressure influenced the agency’s assessments.
The IAEA’s findings come as Iran’s nuclear program remains a major point of contention in international diplomacy. In 2015, Tehran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with world powers, agreeing to restrict its nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief. However, the US withdrew from the deal in 2018 under President Donald Trump, reimposing sanctions and prompting Iran to gradually exceed the agreement’s limitations.
Efforts to restore the JCPOA have been ongoing since 2021 but have stalled since August 2022, leaving the future of the deal uncertain.
