Iran must allow the return of IAEA inspectors to all nuclear sites: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Iran.
Last month, the IAEA Board of Governors took a decisive step in reporting Iran to the Security Council for continued non-compliance with her nuclear safeguards obligations.
It was the first time for two decades that the Board has made such a referral.
That reflects the gravity of the concern faced by the international community.
This referral followed the Board’s determination in June 2025 that Iran was non-compliant with her obligations under her Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.
Iran has had every opportunity to address that non-compliance.
Iran has amassed a stockpile of over 400kg of uranium enriched to 60%.
Iran remains the only state without nuclear weapons to enrich to this level, for which there is no credible civilian justification.
For more than a year, the stockpile of High Enriched Uranium has remained unaccounted for.
Iran has denied the IAEA the access needed to conduct inspections at Iran’s most proliferation-sensitive nuclear sites.
This should concern us all.
As a result of Iran’s refusal to engage, the IAEA reported in June 2026 that it was unable to draw a safeguards conclusion regarding this nuclear material and made clear that this was a proliferation concern.
Despite repeated opportunities to change course, Iran’s refusal to remedy her non-compliance has left the international community with no choice.
As a result, the Board was therefore compelled to report Iran to the Security Council.
Colleagues, there remains a clear path forward.
The IAEA has repeatedly made clear, as Director-General Grossi has again this morning, that it is fully prepared to resume safeguards activities in Iran, at short notice.
As a first step, Iran must allow the return of IAEA inspectors to all nuclear sites.
Verification is essential to rebuilding international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.
And we urge all Member States to remain seized of the seriousness of Iran’s continued non-compliance and to call on Iran to fulfil her safeguards obligations and to cooperate fully and in good faith with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The United Kingdom remains committed to a lasting and sustainable diplomatic solution that ensures that Iran never develops or acquires a nuclear weapon.