Saudi Arabia and UN said there are no elevated levels of radioactivity near the sites. I’m assuming that means they didn’t bomb deep enough or does it mean there was nothing actually there?
There were…
In the past, international inspectors were allowed to inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities under specific agreements. The most notable framework was the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany).
The JCPOA allowed inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor Iran’s nuclear program to ensure compliance with restrictions on uranium enrichment and other nuclear activities. The IAEA conducted regular inspections of declared nuclear sites, including facilities like Natanz and Fordow, and had access to a robust verification regime, including the use of advanced monitoring technologies.
However, the level of access and cooperation varied over time.
Before the JCPOA, Iran’s cooperation with IAEA inspections was inconsistent, with periods of restricted access and disputes over undeclared sites. After the U.S. withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 and Iran began reducing its commitments under the deal in 2019, access for inspectors was further limited. By 2021, Iran restricted IAEA monitoring, including access to surveillance data and certain sites, amid stalled negotiations to revive the JCPOA.
