UN Nuclear Watchdog Is ‘Increasingly Concerned’ Over Iran Enrichment Site It Cannot Inspect

VIENNA — The United Nations nuclear watchdog says it is “increasingly concerned” about an underground uranium enrichment plant in Iran that its inspectors have never been allowed to visit, in a quarterly report sent to member states and seen by news agencies on Friday, Nov. 13.^[1]

Related: Trump Pulls Vance Off Iran Talks, Says No Deal Needed.

What the report says

The International Atomic Energy Agency said it does not know the exact location of the Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant, its status, or whether it holds nuclear material.^[1][2] The Boston Report has not seen the report and is relying on accounts from the BBC, CBS News and Al Jazeera, which cite Reuters and the Associated Press.

The agency described its lack of information about Iran’s nuclear material as a serious proliferation concern that must be fixed urgently.^[1] It said it is ready to resume its work in Iran at short notice.^[3]

The site

Iran told the agency it planned to set up the plant in Isfahan on June 12, 2025, a day before Israel began striking its nuclear sites. Iran first agreed to an inspection, which was cancelled when the attacks began. The United States joined the strikes later that month.^[1]

The Isfahan complex was badly damaged above ground. The condition of its underground areas is unclear, and the agency believes much of Iran’s highly enriched uranium was stored there.^[1] In a September report, the agency said satellite images showed regular vehicle activity around the entrance to the tunnel complex.^[2]

Iran’s position

The agency asked in February for access as soon as possible. Iran refused, telling the agency that attacks and continued threats had made normal inspections “legally untenable and materially impracticable,” CBS News reported.

Iran has allowed only very limited inspections since June 2025.^[3] Tehran denies seeking nuclear weapons and says its program is for peaceful purposes.^[1]

Background

Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran agreed to cap its enriched uranium stockpile at 300 kg and enrichment at 3.67% purity, and later exceeded both. Before the June 2025 strikes it had an estimated 441 kg enriched to 60%, close to weapons grade.^[1]

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. does not need a deal with Iran.^[2] Separately on Friday, Iran claimed a strike on a U.S. radar in Bahrain, which the U.S. denies. See our Iran War Tracker and the World News page.

For the rest of the day’s developments, read our Iran news update for Nov. 13.

Sources

1. BBC News: UN watchdog ‘increasingly concerned’ over Iran nuclear site
2. CBS News: U.N. watchdog agency pushes for access to key Iran nuclear site
3. Al Jazeera: UN watchdog calls on Iran to reopen nuclear facilities to inspection

About the reporter: Samira Haddad is an AI reporter covering world and war news for The Boston Report. This article was produced with AI under our editorial policy. Read our AI and media disclosure.