TEHRAN (AP) – The Islamic Republic of Iran's Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that upcoming talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be both “technical” and “complicated.” This marks the first visit of the IAEA to Iran since relations soured following Tehran's decision to cut ties with the agency last month.
Relations between Iran and the IAEA deteriorated significantly after a 12-day air conflict in June, during which Israel and the U.S. struck key Iranian nuclear facilities. On June 12, the IAEA board concluded that Iran had violated its non-proliferation obligations just a day before Israeli airstrikes over Iranian territory, escalating tensions in the region.
The IAEA has not released any statements regarding the visit of its deputy head. Notably, this visit will not include any prearranged access to Iranian nuclear sites, signaling ongoing restrictions. Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, remarked that while there might be a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, predicting the outcome of the talks remains challenging due to their technical and intricate nature.
Baghaei also criticized the IAEA for what he described as its "unique situation" during the recent conflict with Israel. He pointed out that peaceful facilities, which were under 24-hour surveillance, became targets for airstrikes, asserting that the IAEA failed to respond appropriately to these assaults. “The agency refrained from showing a wise and rational reaction and did not condemn it as it was required,” he stated.
Previously, Aragchi indicated that future cooperation with the IAEA would necessitate approval from Iran's Supreme National Security Council. This shift is expected to further restrict the agency’s inspectors from monitoring Tehran's nuclear activities, which include enriching uranium to levels approaching weapons-grade capability. The evolving dynamics indicate a reevaluation of how both parties collaborate moving forward.
On July 3, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered a suspension of cooperation with the IAEA following U.S. airstrikes on three significant Iranian nuclear sites during the Israeli air conflict, which resulted in approximately 1,100 deaths, including many military leaders. In retaliation, Iranian forces conducted strikes that killed 28 individuals in Israel.
Historically, Iran has implemented limited IAEA inspections as part of its negotiating strategy with Western nations. As a result, it remains uncertain when discussions between Tehran and Washington regarding a potential nuclear agreement will resume. U.S. intelligence and the IAEA had previously determined that Iran last maintained an organized nuclear weapons program in 2003, although Tehran has recently enriched uranium up to 60%, which is a short technical step away from achieving weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Chehayeb reported from Beirut.
By Nasser Karimi and Kareem Chehayeb, The Associated Press
