Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that Tehran intends to collaborate with the UN nuclear watchdog despite its parliament’s restrictions, according to Reuters.
Araqchi also noted that that access to Iranian Nuclear sites bombed by Israel and the US posed security and safety issues.
“The risk of spreading radioactive materials and the risk of exploding leftover munitions … are serious,” Araghchi said.
According to the new law, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should have approval by the Supreme National Security Council for any future inspection of Iran’s nuclear sites.
“For us, IAEA inspectors approaching nuclear sites has both a security aspect … and the safety of the inspectors themselves is a matter that must be examined,” Araqchi said.
He also told Tehran-based diplomats that Iran’s cooperation with the nuclear watchdog has not stopped. However, it will take a new form and will be guided and managed through the Supreme National Security Council.
Last week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog should abandon its “double standards” if Tehran wants to resume cooperation with it.
Iranian IAEA Relations
Iranian relations with IAEA have deteriorated since the United States and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities in June in order to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.
“The continuation of Iran’s cooperation with the agency (IAEA) depends on the latter correcting its double standards regarding the nuclear file,” state media quoted Pezeshkian as telling European Council President Antonio Costa by phone.
Pezeshkian also stated that Iran will face any repeated attack with a more decisive and regrettable response.
Moreover, Iran accused the agency of failing to denounce the attacks by the United States and Israel and paving the way for the bombing by issuing a resolution declaring that Iran is breaching its non-proliferation obligations.
“Failure to observe the principle of impartiality in reporting is one of the examples that casts doubt on the status and credibility of the IAEA,” Pezeshkian said.
Israel Iran Conflict
On June 13, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran under the name of Operation Rising Lion. The military campaign targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists.
As a response, Iran launched a retaliatory wave of missiles against Israel and targeted Tel Aviv. Israel also killed several Iranian nuclear scientists in line with its goal to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.
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