Iran's Nuclear Puzzle: Unraveling the Blind Spots

U.N. inspectors have faced significant challenges in tracking Iran's nuclear activities, particularly since the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. As new talks seek to impose restrictions, closing knowledge gaps about Iran's centrifuges and uranium enrichment is vital for a successful agreement.

U.N. inspectors observed a significant gap in their oversight last year at Iran's Fordow nuclear site, when trucks delivered advanced centrifuges without their origin known. Despite Iran's notification of new IR-6 centrifuges, the inspectors were left uninformed about the complex machines' origins, an official disclosed to Reuters.

Such episodes highlight how the nuclear watchdog has struggled to track Iran's nuclear activities after the U.S. exited the 2015 agreement, leaving blind spots such as unknown centrifuge numbers and unmonitored sites. The IAEA's challenge is to fill these knowledge gaps for any fruitful negotiations.

With new U.S.-Iran talks underway, closing these blind spots is essential for a successful deal. Experts underscore the importance of a comprehensive understanding of Iran's nuclear scale and scope, which may take months. Confidence in any agreement hinges on IAEA's robust inspection capabilities, a concern echoed by numerous diplomats and analysts.

(With inputs from agencies.)