Tehran halts IAEA access over silence on US-Israeli aggression

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 12:42
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Iran asserts its right to national security by suspending IAEA access, following the agency’s silence over hostile attacks on its peaceful nuclear program.

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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP)

Iran’s Parliament announced a major shift in nuclear oversight policy on Wednesday, voting to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unless the safety of its nuclear facilities is guaranteed. The move comes in the wake of recent Israeli-US aggression targeting key nuclear sites, which Iranian lawmakers say the IAEA failed to condemn.

Speaking during a parliamentary session, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that Tehran would no longer cooperate with the IAEA until its nuclear facilities are fully secured. He criticized the international watchdog for remaining silent in the face of attacks on Iran’s sovereign infrastructure.

“The IAEA did not issue even a symbolic condemnation,” Ghalibaf stated, criticizing the agency’s silence in the face of blatant attacks. He warned that Iran’s peaceful nuclear program will now accelerate “at a faster pace,” with heightened vigilance against diplomatic manipulation. The top Iranian lawmaker emphasized that Tehran is more prepared than ever and will meet any future aggression with “crushing force.”

Parliament passes resolution to restrict inspections

In a parallel announcement, Iranian Member of Parliament Alireza Salimi revealed that lawmakers had passed a resolution to suspend all forms of cooperation with the IAEA. The legislation prohibits IAEA inspectors from entering Iranian territory unless assurances are given regarding the safety of Iran’s nuclear activities.

The resolution includes punitive measures for any individuals or entities that permit access to IAEA personnel. It also extends beyond site inspections to cover broader safeguard agreements and cooperation protocols with the agency.

While the resolution passed in parliament, it still requires final ratification by the Supreme National Security Council to take effect. On June 16, Iranian parliamentarian Ruhollah Motefakker-Azad confirmed that the legislature had formally placed “firm engagement” with the IAEA on its agenda.

He also noted that the National Security Committee had begun talks with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran to reevaluate existing cooperation frameworks.

Wider context

Iran has remained unwavering in its commitment to defend years of peaceful nuclear progress and scientific achievement.

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to cap uranium enrichment at 3.67%. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018, despite Iran’s full compliance up to that point. In response, Tehran, now not limited to JCPOA caps, enriched uranium up to 60%, a level still below weapons-grade.

Nonetheless, as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran has not militarized its nuclear program. According to the latest statements by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, there is no evidence to suggest that Iran has diverted its nuclear activities toward weaponization.

Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear chief has vowed that the country’s nuclear activities will continue without disruption, despite the military strikes on its nuclear facilities.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said that all necessary measures have been taken to maintain operations and assess damage to impacted sites. He condemned the attacks on Iran's "peaceful nuclear facilities" and emphasized that preemptive planning had ensured no interruption in the country’s nuclear production or services.