IRIA News

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Iran’s Guardian Council has approved a bill to suspend Tehran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. The ratification comes after a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

According to Iranian media, the Guardian Council found no contradiction between the bill and the country’s constitution or Islamic principles. The decision legally compels the Iranian government to act, further straining Tehran’s already fragile ties with the international nuclear regulatory regime.

Guardian Council spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif emphasized that Iran’s decision stems directly from the recent military strikes. “The government is now required to suspend cooperation with the IAEA for the full respect of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Nazif stated. He said that “attacks … by the Zionist regime and the United States against peaceful nuclear facilities” are pushing Iran toward legislative action.

Nazif also reiterated Iran’s right under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to pursue uranium enrichment, arguing that the bill allows Tehran to “benefit from all the entitlements specified under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, especially about uranium enrichment.”

Parliament declares legislation

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, affirmed that the bill was now binding following the Guardian Council’s approval. In a post on social media, Ghalibaf wrote: “Continued cooperation with the agency, which plays a role as a protector of anti-human interests and an agent of the illegitimate Zionist regime through the pretext of war and aggression, is not possible until the security of our nuclear facilities is ensured.”

The language of the bill and subsequent commentary from Iranian officials suggest a deepening distrust of the IAEA, which Tehran accuses of failing to condemn Israel’s attacks and allegedly passing sensitive data to Israeli intelligence, claims the agency has denied.

Despite Iran’s public statements and parliamentary action, the IAEA said on June 26 that it had yet to receive any official notification of the suspension. For years, Iran’s nuclear facilities have been under the agency’s scrutiny, including 24/7 video surveillance and regular site visits. However, this transparency now appears to be in jeopardy.

Reports suggest that in anticipation of Israeli and U.S. strikes, Tehran relocated significant stockpiles of highly enriched uranium to undisclosed locations, effectively moving them beyond the reach of IAEA inspectors for the first time in years.

Escalation triggered by Israel

The current crisis escalated on June 13 when Israel launched a surprise and unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran. The strikes targeted residential areas, nuclear sites, and military installations, killing several top Iranian commanders and scientists, along with hundreds of civilians. Iran retaliated with missile barrages that inflicted heavy damage across Israeli cities and caused at least 29 deaths.

The United States later joined the conflict, targeting key nuclear sites at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. Following a retaliatory missile strike by Iran on a U.S. base in Qatar, a ceasefire was eventually declared. Both Israel and Iran claimed strategic victory in the aftermath.

International reaction

The decision to suspend cooperation with the IAEA has triggered widespread international concern. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was closely watching the developments. “We are interested in Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA continuing,” Lavrov said. He also reiterated that Iran’s Supreme Leader had stated that Tehran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged Iran to reconsider. “Berlin urges the Iranian government not to go down this path,” he told journalists, warning that abandoning cooperation with the IAEA would further isolate Iran and risk escalation.

Tehran maintains that the IAEA has lost its credibility by allegedly serving the interests of hostile powers. Iranian authorities claim that documents obtained before the war indicate the IAEA secretly passed sensitive information about Iran’s nuclear program to Israel. These claims, if true, would represent a serious breach of international neutrality, though the IAEA has firmly denied them.

Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, remains outside the framework of IAEA inspections, adding to Iran’s grievances.

Rising uncertainty over Iran’s nuclear future

With formal ties between Tehran and the IAEA now in limbo, global non-proliferation efforts face a serious setback. While U.S. and Israeli officials argue that the recent airstrikes have delayed Iran’s nuclear capabilities by years, experts warn that the absence of international oversight could enable Tehran to accelerate its program clandestinely.

Iran continues to insist that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and that it is not pursuing a nuclear bomb. However, the loss of IAEA access makes verification increasingly difficult and raises fears of a new nuclear crisis in the Middle East.

As the international community grapples with the fallout, the latest developments mark a critical juncture in Iran’s nuclear trajectory, one with the potential to reshape regional security and global diplomacy for years to come.