IAEA reports Iran to UN Security Council for nuclear breaches in first referral in two decades

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors voted to report Iran to the UN Security Council for breaching its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. It’s the first time the global nuclear watchdog has made such a referral regarding Iran in nearly two decades, and it lands at a moment when the agency says it’s essentially been locked out of verifying what Tehran is actually doing. The resolution passed on June 12, 2025, with 19 votes in favor. It cited Iran’s failure to provide satisfactory explanations for uranium traces found at undeclared sites and a broader pattern of non-cooperation that has accelerated since military strikes by the US and Israel. What Iran isn’t explaining A report dated May 31, 2025, identified undeclared nuclear activities at sites including Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, and Turquzabad. Iran was asked to explain how uranium particles ended up at locations that were never declared as part of its nuclear program. Since June 2025, the IAEA has had no verification access to most of Iran’s nuclear facilities. The lone exception is the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which is a civilian reactor. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has stated the agency has ...