Araghchi: Iran Suspends IAEA Cooperation Over Security Concerns
In an astounding betrayal of his duties, Grossi has failed to explicitly condemn such blatant violations of IAEA safeguards and its Statute,” Araghchi said
Iran, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Friday that the Iranian Parliament has voted to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) until the safety and security of the country’s nuclear infrastructure can be guaranteed.
The decision follows days of mounting tension over US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, which Tehran claims were politically facilitated by IAEA leadership. Araghchi directly blamed IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi for contributing to what he called “a sordid state of affairs.”
Araghchi: Grossi Complicit in Political Targeting
In a statement published on X, Araghchi accused Grossi of playing a “regrettable role in obfuscating” the fact that the IAEA had formally closed all past nuclear issues with Iran a decade ago. Rather than upholding that history, Araghchi said, Grossi enabled the IAEA Board of Governors to adopt a “politically-motivated resolution” against Tehran.
According to Araghchi, that resolution set the stage for the recent Israeli-American bombings of Iranian nuclear sites.
Araghchi condemned Grossi’s silence in response to the attacks, calling it a “betrayal” of the agency’s statutory responsibilities.
“In an astounding betrayal of his duties, Grossi has failed to explicitly condemn such blatant violations of IAEA safeguards and its Statute,” Araghchi said.
He also criticized Grossi’s insistence on visiting bombed nuclear sites, calling such visits “meaningless” and “possibly even malign in intent.”
Iran Asserts Right to Defend Its Sovereignty
Araghchi emphasized that Iran reserves the right to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty, people, and national interests. He reiterated that cooperation with the IAEA will not resume until credible guarantees are in place to protect Iran’s nuclear facilities from further aggression.
“The IAEA and its Director-General bear full responsibility for what has transpired,” he stated, highlighting Iran’s growing distrust of the agency's impartiality amid increasing Western pressure.
Iran’s Guardian Council has officially ratified the parliamentary resolution suspending cooperation with the IAEA, according to spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif. The decision does not signal Iran’s withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.
Lawmakers Slam IAEA Silence, Vow to Accelerate Program
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will suspend all cooperation with the IAEA until the full security of Iran’s nuclear sites is ensured. He criticized the agency for failing to issue even symbolic condemnation of the recent attacks and warned that Iran’s nuclear program will now continue “at a faster pace.”
“The IAEA did not issue even a symbolic condemnation,” Ghalibaf said.
“We will remain highly vigilant of international promises and respond to any future aggression with crushing force.”
Access Denied to IAEA Inspectors
Alireza Salimi, a member of the Shura Council's presidential committee, clarified that under the new resolution, IAEA inspectors will no longer be allowed entry into Iran unless the security of nuclear operations is fully assured.
This marks a major shift in Tehran's nuclear oversight policy, amid what lawmakers describe as continued inaction by international institutions in the face of clear violations. (PW)
Source: Al-Mayadeen