The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has issued a stark warning: the current location of Iran’s near-bomb-grade uranium stockpile is unknown, as Israeli military operations have paralyzed international inspections.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Wednesday, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that Israel’s bombardment of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure has effectively halted all normal monitoring activities. “In a time of war, all nuclear sites are closed. No inspections, no normal activity can take place,” Grossi said.
Iran holds approximately 409 kilograms (902 pounds) of highly enriched uranium — enough, experts estimate, to produce at least 10 nuclear warheads. This stockpile was last reported to be stored under IAEA seal at an underground facility in Isfahan. However, Grossi now admits its location cannot be confirmed, especially after Tehran warned that the material could be relocated in the event of an attack.
“I’m not so sure,” Grossi responded when asked if the uranium remains secured at its previous location.
The IAEA chief’s comments underscore the growing international concern over the unintended consequences of targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. While the Israeli strikes have likely disrupted Iran’s ability to enrich more uranium, they may have also inadvertently loosened safeguards meant to keep existing stockpiles under international supervision.
According to Grossi, critical components of the Natanz enrichment complex — one of Iran’s most important nuclear sites — were “badly hit” by Israeli attacks. The Fordow facility, buried deep within a mountain, reportedly sustained no significant damage. Isfahan, however, was “repeatedly hit” with several buildings impacted.
Until the strikes began late last week, IAEA inspectors were conducting near-daily visits to Iran’s nuclear sites. Those inspections are now on hold, and Iran has yet to provide the agency with details about alternative protective measures for its nuclear materials. “We haven’t been informed of anything in detail,” Grossi said. “We don’t know what these protective additional measures are supposed to be.”
Despite the suspension of physical inspections, the IAEA is continuing its surveillance using satellite imagery. So far, there is no visible indication that Iran has moved the stockpile — an action that would constitute a serious violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which Iran remains a signatory.
“Iran is aware that this stockpile needs to be there under constant IAEA supervision,” Grossi emphasized.
IAEA data compiled by Bloomberg shows that Iran has steadily increased its highly enriched uranium stockpile, with a record quarterly surge earlier this year. The uranium, enriched up to 60% — dangerously close to weapons-grade — could be compacted into as few as 16 industrial-sized cylinders.
Grossi noted that although inspectors have not observed any structured effort by Iran to build a nuclear weapon, the current level of enrichment is unparalleled globally. “No country in the world is enriching uranium at this level,” he said, adding that “many high officials have said Iran has all the pieces of the puzzle. There has been a lot of ambiguity, and this is never good.”
