Iran approves visit of UN nuclear inspectors

(MENAFN) Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has approved the return of UN nuclear inspectors, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Wednesday. The inspectors are overseeing fuel replacement at the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Araghchi denied reports of a new cooperation agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying no text has been finalized despite exchanged proposals.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed that inspectors returned to Iran for the first time since being expelled during the June conflict, stating, “Now the first team of IAEA inspectors is back in Iran, and we are about to restart.”

Iran had suspended cooperation with the IAEA in early July after a parliament bill limited access to nuclear sites, following Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian facilities. Tehran accused the agency of siding with the West and failing to condemn the attacks.

The restrictions, requiring Supreme National Security Council approval for inspections, have raised concern from the UN Secretary-General and prompted renewed Israeli calls to reinstate UN sanctions. Meanwhile, Britain, France, and Germany have linked Iran’s cooperation to their decision on whether to trigger the UN snapback sanctions mechanism by the end of August—a move Tehran rejects as illegal.

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