IAEA Accuses Iran of Breaching Non-Proliferation Obligations

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Nations nuclear watchdog (IAEA) concluded on Thursday, June 12, 2025, that Iran violated its non-proliferation obligations. As reported by Anadolu and France24, this prompted the IAEA Board of Governors to adopt a resolution stating that Iran is not complying with its international nuclear commitments.

For the first time in 20 years, a resolution proposed by France, Britain, Germany, and the United States found that Iran failed to comply with its non-proliferation obligations and had not cooperated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding undeclared nuclear materials.

This could pave the way for reinstating UN sanctions against Tehran.

"Iran’s many failures to uphold its obligations since 2019 to provide the Agency with full and timely cooperation regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities at multiple undeclared locations in Iran ... constitutes non-compliance with its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement," the draft resolution stated.

The resolution, which was approved by the 35-member board, comes amid growing international concerns over Iran's nuclear activities.

Diplomatic sources said 19 countries supported the resolution, while Russia, China, and Burkina Faso voted against it, 11 countries abstained, and 2 countries did not vote.

Pointing to Iran's "inability" to confirm the peaceful nature of its nuclear program, the adopted resolution could also lead to a referral to the UN Security Council.

In response to the IAEA resolution, Iran announced it would build new uranium enrichment facilities.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on Monday expressed "great concern" over Iran's scale of uranium enrichment, warning that the country's stockpile is now very close to the level needed for nuclear weapons.

The IAEA resolution comes amid indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, mediated by Oman, in an effort to find a way back to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) after the U.S. withdrawal in 2018.

In the draft resolution, the board of governors renewed its call on Iran to provide "promptly" answers in the long-running investigation into traces of uranium found at several undeclared locations that Tehran has failed to declare as nuclear sites.

Western officials suspect the uranium traces could provide evidence that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program until 2003.

Regional Tensions

This is called the safeguards obligation and is part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran is legally bound to declare all nuclear materials and activities and allow IAEA inspectors to verify that none have been diverted for non-peaceful uses.

The draft resolution also found that the IAEA’s “inability ... to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful gives rise to questions that are within the competence of the United Nations Security Council, as the organ bearing the main responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.” 

The vote comes at a sensitive time, as tensions in the region have risen. On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department announced that it would reduce the number of nonessential personnel in the Middle East.

This also comes as the U.S. and Iran are discussing Iran's rapidly evolving nuclear program. Oman's foreign minister said the sixth round of talks would be held in his country on Sunday, June 15, 2025.

The draft resolution directly references the U.S.-Iran talks, emphasizing its "support for a diplomatic solution to the problems posed by the Iranian nuclear program, including the talks between the United States and Iran, leading to an agreement that addresses all international concerns related to Iran’s nuclear activities, encouraging all parties to constructively engage in diplomacy."

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