The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Iran’s Darquwin facility, also known as the Karun Nuclear Power Plant, remains in early construction stages and contained no nuclear material during its most recent inspection visit.
The IAEA granted a planned physical inventory verification exception to the site specifically because of its construction status and the confirmed absence of nuclear material.
What the IAEA actually found
The Karun Nuclear Power Plant sits in southwest Iran and has been in various stages of planning and construction for years. As of February 2026, the agency’s assessment placed it firmly in the “not yet operational” category, with no fissile or radioactive material detected on-site.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has been vocal about the need for what he calls a “very strong system of verification” across Iran’s nuclear program, particularly in the context of ongoing monitoring after a period of significant geopolitical disruption.
