TEHRAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Sunday that Iran does not have any undisclosed uranium enrichment sites and emphasized that all of its nuclear facilities are under the supervision of the UN’s nuclear agency.
His statement followed reports from US media, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, suggesting that Iran had increased construction activity at a hidden nuclear site referred to as “Pickaxe Mountain” near its Natanz facility.
Araghchi reassured attendees at a forum in Tehran, saying, “There is no undeclared nuclear enrichment facility in Iran; all of our facilities are monitored by the agency.” He noted that currently, no uranium enrichment is taking place as the facilities suffered damage during the recent conflict with Israel.
Interestingly, Iranian officials or media have yet to mention the Pickaxe Mountain site.
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In mid-June, Israel executed a significant bombing campaign against Iran, which led to a 12-day conflict where the United States briefly targeted Iranian nuclear sites. This war resulted in Iranian missile and drone attacks on Israel and disrupted nuclear discussions that had started in April. During those talks, a point of contention was Iran’s right to enrich uranium—a right Araghchi maintains is “undeniable” and “inalienable.”
Iran has claimed that its nuclear installations suffered severe damage during the strikes, with enriched materials still trapped under rubble. Araghchi’s comments come just before a critical meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors later this week.
Warnings from Iranian Officials
At the Tehran forum, Iranian officials cautioned the UN agency against passing any resolutions that could be perceived as hostile toward Iran. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, remarked, “If a resolution is passed, Iran will reevaluate its relationship with the IAEA.”
In the wake of the conflict, Iran limited cooperation with the IAEA and restricted access for inspectors to the damaged sites, accusing the agency of bias and inaction following the bombings. In September, Iran and the IAEA had agreed on a new framework for cooperation, but this was deemed void after the UK, France, and Germany reinstated UN sanctions that had been lifted as part of a 2015 nuclear agreement.
Though that deal officially ended in October, its effectiveness had effectively been undermined years earlier when the U.S. withdrew during President Trump’s first term.
Since a ceasefire with Israel was established on June 24, both Israel and the U.S. have warned of potential military action if Iran revives its nuclear program. Mohammad Eslami, the chief of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, called on the IAEA to clarify its responsibilities in light of the military attacks, suggesting that negotiations could only proceed from that foundation. He added that Iran’s situation has changed following the war and that the threat remains “active.”
