Iran Suspends All Ties With IAEA After Israel War, President Approves New Law

Tehran: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has approved a law to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Press TV reported. Pezeshkian officially communicated the law mandating the government to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, which was approved during a public session of Iran's Parliament on June 25. Considering violation of Iran's national sovereignty and territorial integrity by Israel and the United States regarding the country's peaceful nuclear facilities, the Iranian government is hereby obligated to immediately suspend all cooperation with the IAEA, Press TV reported, citing a parliament resolution. As per the resolution, IAEA inspectors will not be allowed to enter Iran until the security of the country's nuclear facilities is ensured and the peaceful nuclear activities are guaranteed, which is subject to the approval of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

What led to this decision?

The war between Iran and Israel since June 13 had lasted for 12 days, and intensified tensions between Tehran and IAEA. On June 25, a day after a ceasefire took hold, Iranian lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favour of the bill to suspend cooperation with the agency. Iranian officials had sharply criticised the IAEA for what they described as the agency's "silence" in the face of the Israeli and US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.

Tehran also lambasted the agency for a resolution adopted on June 12 that accuses Iran of non-compliance with its nuclear obligations. Iranian officials said the resolution was among the "excuses" for the Israeli attacks. Iran had also rejected a request from the IAEA's chief, Rafael Grossi, to visit nuclear facilities bombed during the war.

It was later approved by the Guardian Council, a body tasked with vetting legislation, before a final ratification from the presidency. Earlier, Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, criticised the IAEA for not condemning the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Based on Grossi's reports, the IAEA Board of Governors passed an anti-Iran resolution days before Israel's strikes in Iran resolution proposed by the UK, France, and Germany, and backed by the US, prompted strong condemnations from Iran and resulted in announcements of a new nuclear facility and upgrade of centrifuges to an advanced level at the Fordow enrichment plant, Press TV reported. On June 22, the US conducted strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities in Iran - Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. According to the news report, Grossi did not condemn the US action and faced criticism from Iranian officials. 

(With inputs from ANI and AFP)

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