WANA (Jun 09) – In its recent technical-level talks with Massimo Aparo, Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has presented leads, documents, and information that strongly suggest acts of sabotage and document fabrication.

 

During Aparo’s latest visit to Iran for expert-level negotiations on resolving outstanding safeguards issues, officials from the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) presented substantial evidence of sabotage discovered by Iranian security agencies at two sites — Varamin and Turquzabad — reinforcing the possibility of foul play.

 

The information submitted by Iran was aimed at addressing data gaps outlined by the IAEA. It points to an ongoing network of sabotage.

 

Iranian officials confirmed that further supporting documents related to this sabotage network could be shared with the Agency at an appropriate time.

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, attended an exhibition showcasing Iran’s latest achievements in nuclear technology at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) on April 17, 2025. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Iran Emphasizes Sabotage in Turquzabad and Varamin

Given that Turquzabad and Varamin were not classified as sensitive nuclear or security sites by Iran, it is natural that security cameras had not been installed there prior to the Agency’s inquiries and subsequent media attention. Therefore, any expectation that events prior to the installation of cameras could have been recorded is unrealistic.

 

According to an explanatory note Iran issued in response to the IAEA’s comprehensive safeguards report, the sabotage incidents in Turquzabad and Varamin undermine the basis of the Agency’s assessment. Iran argues that the IAEA’s claim regarding the detection of uranium enriched up to 18% U-235 at Turquzabad — a claim that appears either newly discovered or included to make the report more sensational — lacks any identifiable source for the material, with sabotage being the only plausible explanation.

Turquzabad: An Industrial Scrap Storage Site, Iran / WANA News Agency

Turquzabad: An Industrial Scrap Storage Site, Iran / WANA News Agency

New Information Disclosed in IAEA’s Comprehensive Report

Notably, a large portion of the IAEA’s recent comprehensive report introduces information that had never previously been shared with Iran.

 

Regarding Turquzabad, Iran states that no intact containers were removed from the site during the timeframe cited by the IAEA. A video showing the scrapping of containers was shared with the Agency, and Iran asserted that this activity could have been completed much faster than the IAEA estimates.

 

Iran also clarified that Turquzabad is an industrial scrap warehouse and the movement of containers there is routine.

 

Iran further challenged the IAEA’s unprecedented claim that similar nuclear particles were found at the Jaber Ibn Hayyan Laboratory (JHL) in Turquzabad, arguing that this contradicts other parts of the same report. Iran emphasized that it had not been informed of such claims before and the Agency had never discussed this line of reasoning with Iranian counterparts.

 

Regarding the IAEA’s claims of material imbalance at JHL, Iran stated that no such discrepancy exists since all material remained under the Agency’s seal and continuous supervision until it was dissolved at the Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF).

Netanyahu’s Accusations About Turquzabad at the 2018 UN General Assembly / WANA News Agency

Netanyahu’s Accusations About Turquzabad at the 2018 UN General Assembly / WANA News Agency

New Allegations About Varamin

The IAEA also presented new allegations in its comprehensive safeguards report concerning Varamin, which Iranian officials say were never discussed with them prior to the publication. Iran rejected the claim that a “previously undeclared pilot-scale plant” operated there between 1999 and 2003, stating that it lacks any credible documentation and is largely based on forged evidence reportedly submitted to the Agency by a malicious entity. A low-resolution satellite image used to support the claim that “containers moved from Varamin were later transferred to Turquzabad” is, Iran argues, insufficient to substantiate such accusations.

 

Iran provided both written and oral clarifications regarding the Varamin site and explained that the facility was shut down in 2004 due to economic non-viability.

 

One striking element in the Varamin case is that the Agency, for the first time, referenced UF6 cylinders and certain equipment at the site — details it had never questioned Iran about before.
From Iran’s perspective, this is an entirely new issue, and the IAEA has yet to supply any supporting documentation.
Iranian officials maintain that the Agency’s assessment is flawed and lacks the necessary evidence. Moreover, they formally informed the IAEA — including during Aparo’s visit on May 28, 2025 — that the likelihood of sabotage at Varamin is very real and should be taken seriously.

President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, attended the National Nuclear Technology Day event at the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran on April 09, 2025. President. ir/ WANA News Agency

Concerns Over the IAEA’s Approach

Iran has consistently highlighted the issue of sabotage and document fabrication in connection with four locations — particularly Turquzabad and Varamin — since the outset of these investigations. However, the IAEA’s latest report not only reiterates previous allegations but also introduces entirely new claims and data that had not been communicated to Iran beforehand. This approach contradicts the IAEA’s stated commitment to resolving safeguards issues through technical and expert dialogue, without media or political fanfare.
Iran reportedly holds credible documentation and even confessions from individuals arrested in connection with sabotage at the two sites. It also presented a simulation video to Aparo demonstrating how operations at Turquzabad contradict the IAEA’s allegations. Nevertheless, the Agency continues to insist on the accuracy of its information.
Although Iran has reiterated its readiness to provide further clarification under the March 4, 2023 Joint Statement and Modalities framework, recent developments — especially the tone and content of the latest comprehensive report — suggest that the IAEA may no longer be committed to maintaining its technical, legal, and impartial posture.