The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has told the United Nations Security Council that the agency has seen no indication Iran has attempted to repair or reconstruct nuclear facilities damaged in U.S. and Israeli military strikes.
Speaking on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Grossi urged Tehran to provide international inspectors with access to all of its nuclear facilities, including sites affected by the attacks. His remarks come amid continued international concern over Iran’s nuclear activities and the future of monitoring arrangements.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful. The IAEA’s call for access reflects the importance of independent verification in assessing the status of nuclear facilities and determining whether nuclear activities comply with international safeguards.
IAEA Seeks Access to Damaged Nuclear Facilities
Grossi’s remarks focused on the need for inspectors to verify the condition of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Although the agency has not reported evidence of reconstruction at the damaged sites, the absence of such indications does not, on its own, establish the complete status of Iran’s nuclear programme.
Access to affected facilities would allow inspectors to examine available evidence, assess changes at the sites and help establish what nuclear-related activities may have taken place since the strikes.
Restrictions on access can make independent verification more difficult. The agency’s request therefore places renewed emphasis on cooperation between Iran and international nuclear monitors.
Iran’s Uranium Stockpile Remains a Major Concern
A key issue raised at the Security Council meeting was the status of Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity. The IAEA estimates that Iran possesses approximately 440.9 kilograms of this material. Uranium enriched to 60% is below the roughly 90% level commonly associated with weapons-grade uranium, but it can be further enriched.
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The agency has been unable to verify the current status of the stockpile since the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025. Without sufficient access, inspectors cannot fully establish how much material remains, where it is held or whether its status has changed.
The distinction is important: not detecting reconstruction at damaged sites is not the same as verifying the full status of Iran’s nuclear programme. The IAEA’s request for access is intended to help resolve those outstanding questions.
Iran and Western Powers Clash at the United Nations
The Security Council meeting took place after the IAEA referred Iran to the council over concerns about its compliance with nuclear non-proliferation obligations. Countries supporting the meeting called for answers about Iran’s nuclear activities and greater cooperation with inspectors.
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Iran’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Gholamhossein Darzi, criticised the U.S.-Israeli attacks and challenged what he described as the unequal treatment of nuclear issues in the region. The U.S. representative, Mike Waltz, called on Tehran to address the agency’s outstanding questions.
Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful purposes. The dispute centres on whether the country is meeting its international safeguards obligations and whether inspectors have enough access to verify its activities.
What Comes Next?
The immediate focus is likely to remain on whether Iran restores access for IAEA inspectors and provides the information required to clarify the status of its nuclear material and damaged facilities.
Grossi’s statement offers a limited finding: the agency has not identified repair or reconstruction activity at the sites damaged in the 2025 and 2026 attacks. But with inspections constrained, important questions about Iran’s nuclear stockpile and broader programme remain unresolved.
Diplomatic engagement and independent verification will be central to any assessment of the situation. Until inspectors can resume the necessary work, conclusions about the full condition of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and materials will remain limited.