On the 3rd of July, Masoud Pezeshkian, the President of Iran, instructed his nation to put a halt on their collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This development took place after the United States carried out bombings on three significant Iranian nuclear facilities, amidst an air conflict between Israel and Iran.
Anticipating complex and technical discussions, the Iranian Foreign Ministry expressed its thoughts concerning their upcoming engagement with the IAEA. This anticipated visit marks the IAEA’s first meeting with Iran since the Middle Eastern nation severed ties with the atomic agency in the previous month.
The dynamics observed between the two entities have grown strained in the wake of a 12-day air conflict instigated by the United States and Israel during June. This conflict involved the bombing of critical Iranian nuclear installations.
On the 12th of June, one day prior to the Israeli aerial bombardment triggering this skirmish, the IAEA board declared that Iran hadn’t fulfilled their non-proliferation commitments. However, the agency refrained from issuing an immediate statement regarding the visit by its deputy head, which did not involve any pre-planned access to Iran’s nuclear sites.
Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, inferred that there might be a chance for a meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, though he hesitated to make any early predictions about the outcome of these meetings as the topics are technical and intricate in nature.
Baghaei expressed his discontent with the IAEA’s handling of the situation amid the June conflict with Israel. In his view, peaceful facilities under constant surveillance were targeted, yet the agency did not exhibit the anticipated reasonable response and was reluctant to present the necessary condemnation.
Aragchi had previously communicated that any further cooperation with the atomic agency will mandate approval from Iran’s top security institution, the Supreme National Security Council. This proposed model focuses on devising a novel approach for collaboration between both parties.
This resolution will presumably impose additional restrictions on inspectors, compromising their ability to efficiently monitor Iran’s program, which has been known to enrich uranium nearly to the quality necessary for weaponry.
On July 3, President Pezeshkian guided his nation to cease its alliance with the IAEA in response to the bombing of three major Iranian nuclear sites by the United States. This act occurred parallel to a hostile exchange of aerial strikes between Iran and Israel, claiming close to 1,100 lives, including several high-ranking military officials.
Iran retaliated to the aerial onslaught with strikes of their own, causing 28 fatalities within Israeli territory. The extent of IAEA inspections in Iran has been limited, often used as a point of leverage in negotiations with the Western nations.
Potential talks between Iran and the US regarding an agreement over Iran’s nuclear program might be forecasted, but the timeline for these discussions remains unclear.
Intelligence agencies from the US alongside the IAEA previously assessed in 2003 that Iran maintained a structured nuclear weapons program. Additionally, it has been observed that Tehran had been enriching uranium up to a potency of 60%. This level is merely a technical stride away from the 90% enrichment level, which is considered weapon-grade.
The post Iran Ceases Collaboration with International Atomic Energy Agency appeared first on Real News Now.
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