The UN nuclear watchdog has referred Iran to the Security Council for “non-compliance” with its obligations under the non-proliferation treaty – the first such move in 20 years.

📻 Breaking It Down

The board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution at a meeting in Vienna.

It cites a lack of information on Iran’s nuclear material such as its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and the lack of access to nuclear facilities for IAEA inspectors.

Tehran condemned the IAEA decision, blaming US and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities for disrupting inspections.

📌 What You Need to Know

New sanctions are nonetheless unlikely because Iran’s allies China and Russia have veto powers in the council.

The IAEA resolution – tabled by the UK, France, Germany and the US – was backed by 23 countries, with eight abstentions. China, Russia and Niger voted against.

The document asks IAEA chief Rafael Grossi to report Iran to the Security Council.

Iran had repeatedly warned the IAEA against passing such a resolution.

“They attack Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities, disrupt the normal process of verification, and then use that very disruption as a pretext to issue a resolution,” Iranian deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote in a post on X.

The IAEA has not had access to Iran’s nuclear facilities since Israel and the US carried out a number of strikes on those sites during a 12-day conflict in June 2025.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya