Acting IAEA head urges Iranian cooperation

The IAEA verifies the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement, and is also carrying out evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in the country.

Feruta told the Board about the detection of the particles on 7 November. "We have continued our interactions with Iran since then, but have not received any additional information and the matter remains unresolved," he said. "It is essential that Iran works with the Agency to resolve this matter promptly."

Unlike naturally occurring radioactive materials, anthropogenic natural uranium has been treated by chemical processing.

Since January 2016, the IAEA has been verifying and monitoring Iran's implementation of its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed in 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the USA). The USA has since withdrawn from the agreement.