IAEA Under Fire as Iran Declared in Breach of Nuclear Commitments Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

June 23, 2025 — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is facing intense global scrutiny after its Board of Governors declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations for the first time in nearly two decades, a move that has deepened concerns over nuclear security and regional stability.

The resolution, adopted on June 12 by the IAEA’s 35-nation board, cited Iran’s repeated failures since 2019 to fully cooperate with inspectors and to provide complete and timely information about undeclared nuclear materials and activities at multiple sites. The IAEA specifically pointed to Iran’s lack of credible explanations for uranium particles found at three undeclared locations—Lavisan-Shian, Varamin, and Turquzabad—and noted that the agency cannot verify that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. The resolution also highlighted Iran’s rapid accumulation of highly enriched uranium, making it the only non-nuclear-weapon state producing such material, which the IAEA Director General described as a serious proliferation risk.

Tensions escalated further after the IAEA released a special report on June 8 alleging that Iran had conducted implosion tests related to nuclear weapons development, a claim Tehran has strongly denied. In response, Iran announced plans to construct a new uranium enrichment facility, raising alarm among international observers and fueling speculation about possible military responses from Israel or the United States.

The situation deteriorated rapidly following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure on June 13, which were soon followed by direct U.S. strikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan—on June 21. These strikes marked the first direct U.S. military intervention against Iran’s nuclear program and risked a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict. While President Donald Trump claimed the U.S. operation was “highly successful,” no independent battle damage assessment has been released, and Iranian authorities condemned the attacks as violations of international law, requesting an emergency U.N. Security Council session.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi addressed the United Nations Security Council on June 20, warning that attacks on nuclear sites have caused significant degradation in nuclear safety and security in Iran, though no radiological release affecting the public has been detected so far. Grossi reiterated that nuclear facilities must never be attacked and called on all parties to prioritize diplomacy to resolve the crisis.

As of June 23, no visual evidence of damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities has been released, leaving room for speculation and debate about the true extent of the strikes and their implications for the global non-proliferation regime. The IAEA continues to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing the urgent need for Iran to fulfill its legal obligations and for all sides to engage in constructive diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.