Iran has announced it will soon release sensitive information it claims to have obtained about Israel’s nuclear programme, even as European powers push for a vote this week to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Tehran. The move could escalate already high tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear activities and shift focus away from international scrutiny of its own programme.
Iran’s intelligence minister Esmail Khatib claimed on June 8 that Tehran had acquired a "vast collection of strategic and sensitive documents" ” concerning Israel’s nuclear facilities. He indicated that some of the materials were linked to the recent arrests of two Israeli nationals, Roi Mizrahi and Almog Attias, accused of spying for Iran. While the authenticity of the intelligence remains unverified, Khatib promised the release of evidence shortly.
Observers both inside and outside Iran have expressed scepticism about the credibility of the alleged intelligence haul. Analysts suggest the announcement may be intended as a deterrent against any Israeli military action on Iran’s nuclear sites, implying that any such strike could invite a well-informed Iranian response. It also comes as the Islamic Republic faces growing international criticism and possible punitive action over its nuclear activities.
European powers are preparing to introduce a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board meeting in Vienna, which began yesterday. France, Germany and the United Kingdom are expected to cite a detailed 20-page IAEA report outlining Iran’s failures to comply with the 2015 nuclear deal and longstanding unanswered questions about its historical nuclear efforts.
According to the report, Iran has now stockpiled 400kg of uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity, just short of weapons-grade. This quantity is enough, experts say, to produce around 10 nuclear weapons. Since the IAEA’s previous report in March, Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile has grown by 50 per cent.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said Iran has not adequately addressed concerns regarding its past nuclear activities. He also pointed to evidence suggesting that three sites had been deliberately sanitised to mislead inspectors.
The European push for a formal finding that Iran has violated its safeguards obligations would mark the first such decision since 2005. If approved, the motion would trigger a process that could lead to the automatic reimposition of UN sanctions in October, when key provisions of the 2015 agreement expire. Significantly, under the terms of the deal, neither Russia nor China would be able to veto this move.
Iran has warned of strong countermeasures if the IAEA board declares it in breach. These may include further restrictions on inspector access and an acceleration of its enrichment programme. Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, noted that since the last censure by the IAEA board, Iran has ramped up production of 60 per cent enriched uranium sevenfold and activated 20 cascades of advanced centrifuges.
If the resolution is passed, the UK, France and Germany will have until October to decide whether to trigger the “snapback” mechanism and reinstate sanctions under the terms of the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the move as politically motivated, warning that any action based on “shoddy” reporting would provoke a severe Iranian response. “Blame lies solely and fully with irresponsible actors who stop at nothing to gain relevance,” he said.
Grossi acknowledged that the alleged Israeli nuclear data stolen by Iran “seems to refer” to the Soreq Nuclear Research Center, south of Tel Aviv. While he said the IAEA inspects Soreq, it has no access to Israel’s Dimona facility, widely believed to be at the heart of its undeclared nuclear weapons programme.
Grossi did not clarify how he had learned the information but noted the IAEA receives confidential security reports from member states. Israel’s government has not publicly responded, though it continues to arrest individuals suspected of collaborating with Iran.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts remain ongoing. The US and Iran have yet to set a date to resume nuclear talks, which remain deadlocked over Iran’s insistence on its right to enrich uranium domestically. Washington, however, argues that halting enrichment is the only reliable way to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
President Trump, who withdrew from the 2015 deal in 2018, has indicated an openness to new negotiations and set a 60-day deadline, which expires today. Tehran has said it will issue a formal response soon, while Trump is expected to consult Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Grossi expressed cautious optimism, saying both the US and Iran appear serious about reaching a deal. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to mediate, with one proposal involving Iran temporarily suspending enrichment and sending its uranium stockpile to Russia, a step Iran had taken in 2004–05.
