Brief Notes

IAEA Pushes Inspection Agreement: IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said talks with the Islamic Republic on resuming nuclear inspections “cannot go on for months on end.” Grossi added, “We are trying to have another meeting, perhaps within a few days now, here in Vienna, to conclude this and to start the inspections. It would be really good if we could have this agreed before next week.” On the Islamic Republic’s uranium stockpile, he said, “The material is still there. But, of course, it needs to be verified. Some could have been lost…We don’t have indications that would lead us to believe that there has been a major movement of material…We have reminded our Iranian counterparts that domestic law creates obligations for Iran, not for the agency.” Tehran Ambassador in London Meets Security Minister Over ‘False Flag Operations’: The Islamic Republic’s ambassador to the UK, Ali Mousavi, met British Minister of State for Security Dan Jarvis at the Home Office, where Mousavi warned against “false flag operations” intended to harm Tehran–London relations, according to a post on the embassy’s X account. The embassy said the two officials “discussed ways and means of strengthening effective engagement, with the goal of addressing both sides' security affairs and resolving misunderstandings.” For further details on the Islamic Republic’s influence operations in the UK, see NUFDI’s full report here.

IAEA: Tehran’s Enriched Uranium Stockpile Grew Until June

A confidential IAEA report circulated to member states today says that the Islamic Republic was increasing its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium up until the 12-Day War. As of June 12, the Islamic Republic’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium stood at 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds), an increase of 32.3 kilograms (71.2 pounds) since May of this year. Tehran’s total enriched uranium stockpile reached 9,874.9 kilograms (21,770.43 pounds). The report said that, since June, the IAEA has only inspected the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. The IAEA added that Tehran’s decision to cut cooperation after the 12-Day War was “deeply regrettable” and that inspectors have not verified the Islamic Republic’s stockpile for more than two and a half months, calling this “a matter of serious concern.” It added, “The Agency (has) lost continuity of knowledge in relation to the current inventories of nuclear material in Iran, including low enriched uranium and high enriched uranium, which urgently needs to be addressed."

Pezeshkian Returns From China

President Masoud Pezeshkian returned to Tehran on Wednesday after a four-day trip to China, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Tianjin Summit and China’s Victory Day military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Speaking briefly at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport, Pezeshkian said the trip provided an opportunity to hold talks with the heads of state and prime ministers attending the SCO summit, including the presidents of Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkey, as well as the prime minister of Pakistan. He noted that his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin lasted nearly four hours and covered “a range of issues including economic, scientific, regional, nuclear matters, and the snapback mechanism.” Pezeshkian added that in meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, “important, strategic, and vital agreements and exchanges of views” were reached, with follow-up assignments passed to the foreign and economy ministers. Pezeshkian also said that the regime’s defense minister held “good discussions on security and defense equipment,” which will be pursued further.

On the Radar

Secretary General of the Headquarters for Combating Drugs, Hossein Zolfaqari, said Iran’s pharmaceutical industry is struggling to produce opiates due to declining seizures of Afghan opium. He said, “Because of the Afghan government’s policies, the cultivation of opium has decreased in Afghanistan, and consequently our police’s seizures of the drugs have fallen notably… Secondly, the purity of opium has declined as well.” Iran’s pharmaceutical sector has historically relied on police seizures of 800 to 900 tons annually, he noted. Last year, police seized only about 240 tons, Zolfaqari said, warning the figure could fall further. Iran requires 550 tons of pure opium each year to produce medicines such as methadone and morphine, according to a Health Ministry source.
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani held a phone call with British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, discussing the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and the possibility of resuming negotiations.
A group of residents and shopkeepers gathered outside the local office of the state power company in Borujerd, Lorestan Province, to protest repeated and unannounced power cuts. Protesters said the sudden outages have disrupted daily life and caused numerous problems for businesses and families.
A group of fuel tanker drivers held a protest outside the headquarters of the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization in Tehran. They objected to the prolonged confiscation of their vehicles at Iran’s eastern borders and called on authorities to remove obstacles preventing their return.
Homayoun Shajarian, an Iranian vocalist, announced on his Instagram account that his free concert in Tehran’s Azadi (Shahyad) Square, scheduled for Friday, September 5, has been canceled. He wrote, “Over the past two days, our equipment has not been allowed to enter (the venue), and it seems there is no capacity to manage the millions expected to attend this performance…” The concert was expected to serve the regime as a show of public support and normalcy, but the cancellation has led to speculation of potential regime anxieties surrounding possible large-scale protests.
China’s Victory Day parade, showcasing its latest military hardware and attended by world leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, drew broad coverage in Islamic Republic state media. State-run IMNA pointed to the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling the group a “tripartite alliance… a strong political message in the face of global challenges, particularly U.S. influence.” The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim said the ceremony “symbolized China’s military progress under the leadership of the Communist Party and sent a clear message to global rivals.”
Regime authorities claim to have dismantled a 5,700-meter (3.54 miles) pipeline allegedly used to smuggle fuel from the coast of Minab, in southern Hormozgan Province, to vessels in the Persian Gulf. Mohsen Sabourizadeh, commander of the Minab Maritime Base, said, “Smugglers had hidden these pipelines under the sand and seawater and used them to transfer fuel from the shore to illegal vessels at sea.” A similar pipeline with a length of about 3,000 meters was found and dismantled on August 15 as well.