By AFP | 2023-09-05

The United Nations' nuclear watchdog said Monday (September 4) it regrets that "no progress" had been made by Iran on outstanding issues, including reinstalling cameras to monitor Tehran's nuclear program and explaining uranium traces found at two undeclared sites.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been struggling for over two years to monitor Iran's nuclear activities, which Tehran has stepped up since the 2015 international nuclear deal began to unravel.

The two confidential reports seen by AFP come days before the IAEA board of governors is due to meet to review Iran's progress in addressing the watchdog's concerns.

"No further progress" has been made to reinstall the monitoring equipment set up per the 2015 deal, which was later removed by Iran, according to the IAEA.

In March, Tehran vowed to reactivate surveillance devices.

The IAEA noted that it has had no access to any of the data recorded by its surveillance cameras in Iran since February 2021.

"Since June 2022, the only recorded data that exists is that collected by cameras installed at workshops in Esfahan in May 2023," it said, adding that it is "indispensable" that Iran provide access to "all existing recorded data."

On Tehran's lack of progress in explaining nuclear material found at two undeclared sites -- Turquzabad and Varamin -- the IAEA said "it requests that Iran work with the agency in earnest and in a sustained way towards the fulfillment of the commitments."

'Over 18 times' the allowed amount

In a separate report, the IAEA has said that Iran's total stockpile of enriched uranium was lower than its amount in May -- due to technical reasons -- but still more than 18 times the limit set in the 2015 accord with the West, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran's total enriched uranium stockpile was estimated at 3,795.5kg as of August 19, down by 949kg from May.

The limit in the 2015 deal was set at 202.8kg.

The stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60% now stands at 121.6kg, up from 114.1kg in May.

Enrichment levels of around 90% are required for use in a nuclear weapon.

The slowdown in the growth of Iran's stockpile of near bomb-grade uranium might be due to a political or technical decision, said a senior diplomat, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

Iran also has a 535.8kg stockpile of uranium enriched up to 20%.

A second diplomat told AFP that discussions were ongoing on whether to censure Iran at the upcoming board meeting over the "deeply frustrating" lack of progress highlighted in the report.

"As it is often the case with Iran, it's one step forward, one step back," said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group.

"But it is not resolving the crisis. It's simply deferring it."