On the 3rd of July, President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran commanded a halt to the nation’s association with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This came in the wake of a heavy airstrike by the US, centered on three of Iran’s significant nuclear sites, even as Israel was engaged in an aerial conflict with Iran. The dialogue to occur between Iran and the IAEA was categorized as ‘complex’ and ‘specialized’ by the foreign ministry of the Islamic Republic, which made this announcement before the nuclear regulator’s inaugural visit post Tehran’s severance with the agency a month ago.
The rapport between Iran and the IAEA broke down due to the 12-day aerial battle orchestrated by Israel and the US which took place in June, that led to bombing of central Iranian nuclear infrastructures. A day before Israel initiated an aerial attack on Iran, instigating the conflict, the IAEA panel declared that Iran had failed to fulfill its non-proliferation duties.
The agency’s deputy director’s visit was not promptly heralded by an official statement from the IAEA, nor were there any indications of anticipatory access to any of the Iranian nuclear locations. Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, hinted at the possibility of arranging a meeting with Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, cautioning that it may be premature to foresee the consequential aspects of the discussion, labeling it ‘highly technical and complex’.
Baghaei further expressed dissatisfaction with the way IAEA dealt with the circumstances during Israel’s conflict with Iran in June. He reproached the agency for its lack of ‘wise and rational reaction’ and failure to condemn the targeting of ‘peaceful facilities’ under its vigilant 24-hour monitoring.
In a previous statement, Aragchi had declared that cooperation with the IAEA now hinges on authorization from Iran’s apex security entity, the Supreme National Security Council. This interaction would involve re-examination of the nature of cooperation between both parties.
Such a decision is predicted to pose additional constraints on the inspector’s potential to map the scheme through which Tehran attained near weapons-grade uranium enrichment levels. The suspension of collaboration with the IAEA had been ordered by President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran on the 3rd of July, subsequent to the US targeted aerial attacks on three crucial Iranian nuclear sites.
This simultaneous aerial battle with Israel resulted in heavy casualties, taking approximately 1,100 lives, a large portion of whom were military commanders. Israeli losses due to the subsequent counterattacks by Iran amounted to 28 lives.
In its past negotiations with the West, Iran deployed the strategy of limited IAEA inspections as an instrument of pressure. However, it remains uncertain when the dialogues between Tehran and Washington regarding a nuclear deal will commence.
Judgments made by US intelligence agencies teamed with IAEA suggest that Iran last wielded a structured nuclear arms program in 2003, yet has been engaged in uranium enrichment at 60% concentration. Such a level of concentration is a mere technical stride away from achieving weapons-grade status at 90%.
The post Iran Severs Ties with the IAEA After US Airstrike appeared first on Real News Now.
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