Iran says International Atomic Energy Agency has no standard to inspect its damaged nuclear sites

Iran’s top nuclear official ruled out third-party inspections of his country’s bombed uranium enrichment facilities, saying the International Atomic Energy Agency has no standard for conducting such assessments.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said Tehran would consider opening its damaged nuclear sites for inspections but would only do so once a clear protocol is created.

“There must be a protocol in place for inspections of nuclear sites that have been attacked before permission can be given,” Mr. Eslami said.

He noted that Iran has allowed inspections at non-damaged sites.

Much of Iran’s uranium enrichment infrastructure was severely damaged during its 12-day war with Israel in June. During that time, U.S. bombers dropped “bunker buster” bombs on three of Iran’s most fortified and advanced facilities — Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

Since the end of the war, international nuclear watchdog organizations like the IAEA have insisted that they be allowed to inspect the sites and account for Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.

Mr. Eslami argued that, without a proper protocol on how to inspect damaged sites, the IAEA is unprepared for when similar strikes are carried out against other nations.

Iran holds the IAEA partly responsible for the June war, arguing that a report issued by the organization’s board of governors shortly before the war justified Israel to carry out the preemptive strikes.

The report found that Iran was not adhering to its nuclear reporting responsibilities and was enriching uranium at a far higher rate than what would be necessary for civilian use.