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Iran Demands End to IAEA Double Standards Before Nuclear Talks Resume

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago05 mins

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned that Tehran will not resume cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unless the UN nuclear watchdog addresses what he described as “double standards” in its approach to Iran’s nuclear program. In a phone call on Thursday with European Council President Antonio Costa, Pezeshkian said Iran’s future cooperation with the agency would depend on it acting with impartiality — a demand linked to the IAEA’s silence following recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States and Israel. “The continuation of Iran’s cooperation with the agency depends on the latter correcting its double standards regarding the nuclear file,” Pezeshkian said, according to Iranian state media. He also issued a strong warning against further aggression, stating, “Any repeated attack against Iran will be met with a more decisive and regrettable response.” Backdrop: June Conflict with Israel and U.S. Tensions escalated in mid-June after Israel launched a series of airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, which were followed by U.S. bunker-buster bombings. In retaliation, Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Israel and a U.S. base in Qatar, prompting a 12-day conflict that ended with a fragile ceasefire declared by President Donald Trump. In the aftermath, Pezeshkian signed a law suspending Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA. The agency confirmed that its inspectors have now left Iran, marking a serious breakdown in international nuclear oversight. Iran Alleges IAEA Complicity Iran has accused the IAEA of enabling the attacks by adopting a resolution on June 12 that accused Iran of breaching its nuclear commitments — just one day before the strikes. Tehran claims the agency’s actions showed alignment with Western political pressure and failed to uphold neutrality. “Despite remaining a signatory to the NPT [Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons], we no longer trust the IAEA to act impartially,” an Iranian foreign ministry source told local media. Global Reactions IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said talks with Iran remain a “top priority” and expressed hope for a return to monitoring “as soon as possible.” But he acknowledged the agency has had no access to Iranian facilities since the conflict. Meanwhile, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce called Iran’s withdrawal from cooperation “unacceptable,” insisting: “Iran cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon.” Bruce urged Tehran to “reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity,” despite no conclusive U.S. intelligence indicating Iran is pursuing a bomb. BRICS Blasts U.S.-Israel Actions The BRICS bloc of emerging economies on Sunday condemned the U.S.-Israel bombardments of Iran as a “blatant breach of international law.” Iran welcomed the statement, linking the ongoing Gaza war and regional instability to global impunity enabled by Western powers. The situation now raises serious concerns over the future of the Iran nuclear deal, regional stability, and the credibility of multilateral institutions like the IAEA.

IAEA Inspectors Leave Iran Following US-Israel-Iran Conflict Marking Start of Nuclear Ambiguity

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago05 mins

Tehran, Iran – July 5, 2025 — A team of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has departed Iran, following Tehran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog in the wake of the 12-day military conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran. In a statement on Friday, the IAEA confirmed that some of its staff had returned to its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, with Director-General Rafael Grossi urging the swift resumption of monitoring and verification operations inside Iran. While the IAEA did not disclose how many inspectors left or whether any remain in the country, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said that the officials departed via land through Armenia, signaling the beginning of what observers are calling a new era of “nuclear ambiguity” in Iran. Iran Cuts Ties With IAEA After Airstrikes The inspectors had remained in Iran throughout the fighting, which began on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian military facilities, killing senior military officials, scientists, and civilians. The United States later joined the assault, dropping bunker-buster bombs on suspected nuclear sites — a move the Trump administration claimed set back Iran’s nuclear programme significantly. Following these events, Iran formally suspended cooperation with the IAEA, citing a deep erosion of trust and accusing the agency of bias. On Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered an end to ties with the IAEA, a decision backed by the Iranian Parliament and the Guardian Council. Guardian Council spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif defended the move as protecting Iran’s national sovereignty, adding that cooperation would only resume when there is “guaranteed security for nuclear facilities and scientists.” Diplomatic Fallout and Global Reaction The decision comes shortly after the IAEA passed a resolution on June 12 — just one day before the conflict began — accusing Iran of failing to meet its nuclear obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Iran criticized the timing of the resolution and condemned the IAEA for its silence on the subsequent US and Israeli airstrikes. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed Grossi’s request to inspect bombed nuclear sites, saying the demand was “meaningless and possibly malign in intent.” Meanwhile, Washington reacted sharply. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce described Iran’s move as “unacceptable” and urged Tehran to “reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity.” She reiterated the Biden administration’s stance: “Iran cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon.” Iran has consistently denied any intention to build nuclear arms, insisting that its programme is strictly for civilian energy purposes. To date, neither US intelligence nor the IAEA has provided definitive proof that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons. What Happens Next? The withdrawal of IAEA inspectors raises critical concerns over nuclear transparency in the region. Experts warn that the lack of independent verification could escalate tensions further and undermine any remaining diplomatic channels. While Iran maintains that its nuclear work remains peaceful, its rejection of inspections and the secrecy now surrounding its facilities may fuel international suspicion and increase the risk of miscalculation in an already volatile Middle East. As of now, there is no indication of when — or if — Iran will restore its cooperation with the IAEA.