UN watchdog demands Iran provide information on nuclear stockpile

The governing board of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has passed a United States-backed resolution demanding Iran provide “complete information” on its enriched ⁠uranium stocks and grant access to inspectors to verify them.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolution came on Wednesday, while the US and Iran exchanged strikes after Washington blamed Tehran for the downing of an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strikes marked the most significant escalation since a ceasefire in April ended weeks of devastating US and Israeli attacks on Iran and retaliatory Iranian assaults across the Gulf region.

Iran condemned the resolution and warned it could hinder efforts to end the war.

The resolution was submitted to the 35-member IAEA board by the US, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. It passed with 21 votes in favour, diplomats at the closed-door meeting told Reuters and AFP news agencies.

Russia, China and Niger voted against it, while 10 abstained, they said.

The IAEA estimates that Iran had 440kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent, close to weapons grade, when Israel and the US launched their first attacks on the country in June last year.

Three of Iran’s main nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan were hit.