IAEA chief: Iran denies access to US-struck nuclear facilities in country

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has said that Iran has denied inspectors access to facilities targeted by US attacks in June, hindering the agency’s ability to fully assess the damage.

“While Iran has allowed inspectors to monitor fuel replacement at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, access to other key nuclear sites remains prohibited,” Grossi noted, Caliber.Az reports, citing Italian media.

He also warned of the danger of entering an era where 25 countries could possess nuclear weapons, compared to the current nine.

The U.S. strikes on June 21, 2025, targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, following Israeli attacks on June 13, as part of a 12-day conflict prompted by the IAEA’s censure of Iran for non-compliance with nuclear safeguards. The strikes, which included the use of bunker-buster bombs, caused significant damage to Iran’s uranium enrichment and conversion facilities, though no external radiation spikes were reported. Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA in early July 2025, after President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a parliamentary bill restricting access to nuclear sites, citing concerns that inspections could reveal vulnerabilities to further U.S. or Israeli attacks. The bill mandates Supreme National Security Council approval for any IAEA visits.

Despite the restrictions, Iran permitted two IAEA inspectors to oversee fuel replacement at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a Russian-built facility under safeguards, in late August 2025. However, access to critical sites like Fordow, where Iran enriches uranium to 60%, remains blocked. Grossi has emphasized the need for inspections to verify the status of Iran’s 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, raising concerns about potential proliferation risks. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that broader cooperation with the IAEA depends on negotiating a new framework, with ongoing talks having reached a third round.

By Khagan Isayev