After 18 months of nuclear escalation and despite U.S. hesitation, Europeans have decided to present a resolution condemning Iran's lack of cooperation to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which begins its session today, Monday, in Vienna. Western diplomats have deemed it "urgent to respond to the seriousness of the situation." This comes after three diplomats revealed in late May that the UK, France, and Germany distributed a draft resolution against Iran ahead of the IAEA Board meeting, indicating that the three nations are determined to push it forward despite opposition from their ally, the United States. The U.S. has expressed concern that such a decision could risk escalating tensions and instability in the region ahead of the U.S. presidential elections.
The latest IAEA report noted that Iran continues to enrich uranium to levels reaching 60%. The agency has stated that Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state capable of enriching uranium to 60% and accumulating ever-increasing stockpiles. This threshold is close to the 90% needed to produce a nuclear bomb, far exceeding the maximum limit of 3.67%, which is equivalent to what is used for electricity generation.
Despite this previously unimaginable situation, the IAEA's 35-member Board of Governors has not introduced a resolution since 2022. However, during the last meeting in March, London, Paris, and Berlin prepared a text but retracted it due to a lack of support from Washington. In contrast, Tehran denies any intention to acquire a nuclear bomb, even though its nuclear program continues to advance.
