Iran to host IAEA technical team, but not inspect sites
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Iran will host an IAEA team to discuss cooperation but not inspect sites, as Tehran reaffirms ties with Russia and China amid tensions with the West.
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Grossi, attends an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, Monday, June 23, 2025 (AP)
Iran has agreed to host a technical team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the coming weeks, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday, according to comments made to Reuters.
Gharibabadi clarified that while the team will discuss the broader relationship between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog, it will not be inspecting Iran’s nuclear sites during the visit. The move comes amid ongoing diplomatic tension between Iran and Western powers over nuclear transparency and safeguards.
In his remarks, Gharibabadi underscored Iran’s view of its partnership with Russia as “strategic,” highlighting Moscow and Beijing’s joint opposition to the unfair use of the "snapback" sanctions mechanism under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
'Important' meeting to take place
He also commented on the upcoming meeting with the E3, comprised of France, Germany, and the UK, calling it “important,” while emphasizing that the European parties should act independently and not coordinate their positions with Washington.
The developments follow a decision by Iran’s Guardian Council in late June to endorse legislation suspending cooperation with the IAEA. The law, approved by the Iranian Parliament, halts coordination with the agency until guarantees are made regarding the protection of Iranian nuclear facilities.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf previously criticized the IAEA for its silence on attacks against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, arguing that the agency had failed even to issue a symbolic condemnation.
Tensions between Iran and the agency were further inflamed by recent accusations from Iranian lawmakers, who alleged the discovery of suspicious surveillance devices, specifically, spy chips hidden in IAEA inspectors' shoes, during routine visits to nuclear sites. MP Mahmoud Nabavian cited this as further evidence of intelligence breaches linked to international monitoring efforts.
Iran's cooperation with IAEA has not ceased: Araghchi
On another note, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stressed on Saturday that Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency has not stopped, but has rather taken a new form. He warned Europe that its insistence on the snapback mechanism would end its role in Iran's nuclear file.
Addressing ambassadors, chargés-d'affaires, and heads of foreign missions during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry's compound in Tehran on Saturday, Araghchi expressed Iran's gratitude toward the nations that denounced "Israel's" recent act of aggression, emphasizing that approximately 120 countries condemned the offensive actions carried out by the Zionist regime and the United States against Iran.
Asserting that Iran has remained a compliant member of the NPT while maintaining its collaboration with the Agency, Araghchi asserted, "Our cooperation with the Agency has not stopped, it has just got a new form. From now on, relations with the Agency will be managed through the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC)."
He emphasized that "the Agency's request to continue cooperation with Iran will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the SNSC, and decisions will be made taking into account safety and security," the top diplomat explained.
