IAEA refers Iran to UN Security Council for first time in 20 years

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors voted on Wednesday to refer Iran's nuclear noncompliance to the United Nations Security Council, marking the first such action in two decades and deepening the diplomatic rift between Western powers and the Russia-China bloc over Tehran's nuclear program.

The resolution, submitted by the United States, Britain, France and Germany, passed with 23 votes in favor, three against — from Russia, China and Niger — and eight abstentions. It calls on Iran to "urgently remedy its non-compliance" and to "engage seriously and without preconditions in talks aimed at building international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme".aljazeera+2

The referral came as IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi disclosed Thursday that satellite imagery has detected new construction activity at Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground complex near the Natanz uranium enrichment facility. "There are some indications that there is movement around this construction site," Grossi told Bloomberg Television. The agency has not been able to inspect inside the tunnel complex and is relying on remote imagery.bloomberg+1

Security Council Clash

Hours after the referral, the Security Council convened its 10,218th meeting on Thursday morning to discuss Iran's nuclear file and the dormant sanctions committee. The session quickly exposed deep divisions among the permanent five members.press.un

Russia's envoy Vasily Nebenzya rejected the effort to revive the 1737 Sanctions Committee, saying Moscow "won't allow sanctions on Tehran to be reimposed under any circumstances". China's representative argued that Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal and subsequent military action were "at the root of the current situation". Britain's ambassador Sarah MacIntosh countered that all member states were obligated to implement sanctions resolutions, including an arms embargo.wanaen+1

Iran Condemns, Trump Threatens

Iran's representative to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, called the resolution "completely counterproductive," saying it "was passed under political pressure from the US and its allies and in our view has no basis". Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi accused Western powers of destroying safeguards-monitored facilities and then using the resulting disruption as a pretext for the resolution.newarab+1

Tehran has barred IAEA inspectors from nuclear sites struck during the June 2025 war, leaving the agency unable to verify the status of approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent — close to weapons grade.iranwire+1

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump referenced Pickaxe Mountain at a Republican convention, warning: "I would advise Iran not to get cute because we will have to hit them very hard". The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said an analysis of six years of imagery at the site indicated "a clear surge in construction activity in 2026".timesofisrael

Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group told AFP that the resolution is "ultimately an exercise in futility," with Russia and China "likely to ensure that Western pressure hits a wall at the Security Council".aljazeera+1