Iran Halts IAEA Cooperation Over Security Concerns, Escalating Nuclear Tensions
In a move that marks a dramatic escalation in tensions with the West, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has officially signed an order suspending the country’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The directive, issued Tuesday, enacts a controversial law passed by Iran’s Parliament and approved by its Constitutional Council last week.
According to Constitutional Council spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif, the law will remain in force until Iran’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its nuclear facilities and scientists are fully assured.
The directive was sent to the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Supreme National Security Council, signaling a sweeping halt to Iran’s longstanding collaboration with the UN’s nuclear watchdog.
The Iranian Parliament pushed for the suspension following what it called “violations of national sovereignty” by the United States and Israel. Lawmakers cited recent attacks targeting Iranian nuclear sites and personnel as the tipping point. Among the provisions of the law is a ban on IAEA inspectors entering the country unless security guarantees are in place, subject to approval by the Supreme National Security Council.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf had previously hinted at the move, stating that the legislature was drafting a plan to freeze cooperation with the IAEA “until tangible guarantees of professionalism” were provided by the agency. His remarks were backed by prominent lawmaker Esmail Kowsari, who even called for banning IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi from entering Iran, accusing him of aiding Israeli-American operations against the country.
Tensions were further inflamed following the IAEA Board of Governors’ adoption of an “anti-Iran” resolution, reportedly based on Grossi’s findings. The resolution, which accused Tehran of non-compliance with safeguard obligations for the first time in nearly two decades, was backed by 19 votes, with 11 abstentions and 3 countries opposing — Russia, China, and Burkina Faso.
Iran strongly condemned the resolution, viewing it as part of a broader Western campaign to destabilize the country. In response, Tehran announced the construction of a new nuclear facility and upgrades to its Fordow enrichment plant to more advanced levels.
The international crisis deepened on June 13 when Israel launched a series of targeted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military installations, killing high-ranking commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran responded with coordinated missile and drone strikes on Israeli territory.
On June 22, then-US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had struck Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Iran retaliated with missile attacks on the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. A ceasefire was reached between Iran and Israel on June 24 after 12 days of conflict.
The Iranian government holds the IAEA and its leadership partly responsible for what it claims was the leaking of sensitive intelligence that facilitated these attacks.
With the law now officially enacted, the Supreme National Security Council — chaired by President Pezeshkian — is tasked with overseeing its implementation. Although the council has yet to issue a formal statement, Pezeshkian’s directive indicates the bill is now effectively in motion.
This latest development further unravels the remnants of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The agreement had capped Iran’s uranium enrichment at 3.67 per cent and allowed for rigorous IAEA monitoring to ensure civilian nuclear use. However, that framework continues to deteriorate amid rising regional instability and strategic mistrust.
