Iran close to nuclear weapons? UN watchdog unable to verify stockpile since June

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday (Nov 12) urged Iran to allow it to verify its inventories of highly enriched uranium. Calling it a matter of serious concern, the agency revealed that it has not been able to verify the exact state of Iran's near weapon-grade stockpile since Israel's strike on the country's nuclear facilities during its 12-day war in June, according to a confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog circulated to member States and seen by AFP.

The tensions between Iran and the Nuclear Watchdog have been aggravated in recent years, with relations further deteriorating following the 12-day war in June, when Israel and the United States targeted Iranian nuclear sites.

In its latest report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it "has lost continuity of knowledge in relation to previously declared inventories of nuclear material in Iran at the affected facilities", including its stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium.

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As per the IAEA, as of June 13, Iran maintains an estimated 440.9 kilograms enriched to up to 60 per cent, just a step away from the weapons-grade level of 90 per cent. It further said Iran is the only country without nuclear weapons to enrich uranium to 60 per cent.

The stockpile allows it to make as many as 10 nuclear bombs. However, Iran has long insisted its program is peaceful, but the IAEA and Western nations say Tehran had an organised nuclear weapons program up until 2003.

Nuclear talks between Iran and world powers are currently stalled. A now-defunct 2015 deal curbed Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.

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In May 2018, during his first term, President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. The agreement was originally signed in 2015 between Iran and six world powers (US, UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany), was aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting international sanctions.