Iran suspends cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency
The Iranian president certifies the rule that will restrict the entry of atomic inspectors into the country.
BarcelonaIranian President Masoud Pezeshkian approved a law on Wednesday that suspends the country's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), According to Iranian television, the decision to break relations with the IAEA was already approved by Parliament the day after the ceasefire agreed with the United States and Israel, and last week it received the approval of Iran's Guardian Council, but the signature of the president was required.
According to the new law, from now on the entry of IAEA inspectors will be subject "to the approval of Iran's Supreme National Security Council", and they will not be allowed to enter Iran if they do not guarantees the security of the country's nuclear facilities and that of the regime's "peaceful nuclear activities," the law states. Currently, there is a team of IAEA inspectors in Iran, which Tehran has not allowed access to the plants since the Israeli attack.
Tehran accuses the IAEA, and especially its director general, Argentine Rafael Grossi, of failing to condemn the Israeli and US attacks against the country, which violate international law. Iran is also "considering" banning Grossi from entering the country, accusing him of having prepared "politically motivated" reports on Iran to serve as a "pretext" to justify the Israeli offensive. Shortly before Israel launched its attack on Iran in June, the IAEA published a report warning that its inspectors had been unable to access some facilities and, therefore, could not verify whether certain parts of the civilian program could be used for military purposes. Grossi has denied that the report was a justification for the Israeli attack, which was joined by the United States.
In an interview with French broadcaster RFI, Grossi acknowledged that there is "a certain tension" in relations between the IAEA and Iran, where "there are political voices" that consider the UN agency "biased" because it did not condemn the Israeli attacks. The IAEA Director General explained that after the cessation of hostilities, he wrote to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to tell him they needed to sit down and talk again. He suggested traveling to Iran immediately to resume inspections, but has not received a response.