Iran reaffirms nuclear stance as IAEA expresses concerns over Isfahan site

Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei stated on November 11, 2026, that Iran will not export its enriched nuclear material, rejecting international efforts to remove it from the country. Rezaei emphasized that the material is intended for domestic nuclear-powered ships and submarines. He warned that any potential new US strikes on Iranian territory would result in retaliatory targeting of US bases abroad. These comments follow the mid-term election loss of the Republican party in the US and reports of a more conciliatory diplomatic tone from the current administration.

Simultaneously, a confidential report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released on November 13, 2026, highlighted growing concern over the Isfahan Fuel Enrichment Plant (IFEP). Declared by Iran on June 12, 2025, the facility remains uninspected. The IAEA noted that a planned inspection on June 13, 2025, was thwarted by a 12-day joint Israeli-US bombing campaign that damaged Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The agency currently lacks information regarding the IFEP's exact location, status, or whether it contains nuclear material, as inspectors have been denied access to sites impacted by the previous strikes.