Iran Suspends IAEA Cooperation, Passes Law To Block IAEA Inspectors Citing Sovereignty Threat

Iran suspends cooperation with IAEA, citing attacks on nuclear sites and scientists by Israel and US as threats to sovereignty.

Iran suspends IAEA access, citing Israeli and US attacks on nuclear sites and scientists as breach of sovereignty.

Source : ANI

Tehran, July 2 (IANS) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday issued an order to enact a law to suspend the country's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The law calls for a suspension of cooperation with the IAEA until Iran's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its nuclear facilities and scientists are fully guaranteed, said Constitutional Council Spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif.

Pezeshkian issued the order on Tuesday in a letter to the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Supreme National Security Council, said the report.

The law, passed by the Iranian parliament last Wednesday and approved by the Constitutional Council the following day, was enacted due to "the violation of Iran's national sovereignty by the United States and Israel, and their attacks on the country's territorial integrity as well as peaceful nuclear facilities," said Tahan Nazif.

According to the Parliament's resolution, depending on the approval of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, unless the security of the nuclear facilities and peaceful nuclear activities is guaranteed, the IAEA inspectors will not be permitted inside the Iranian borders.

The vote came within a few days after the Speaker of the Parliament of Iran, Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf, during an open session of the parliament on Monday, talked about the top legislative body considering a bill to suspend Tehran's cooperation with the UN agency.

“Majlis (the Iranian Parliament) is drafting a plan to suspend cooperation with the agency until tangible guarantees regarding the professional attitude of this international organisation are received,” Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency quoted Qalibaf as saying.

It has also been reported that Esmail Kowsari, a senior lawmaker, member of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Committee, urged the Supreme National Security Council to impose an entry ban on the IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, who was allegedly found facilitating the Israeli-American "aggression" against Iran.

An "Anti-Iran" resolution was passed by the IAEA Board of Governors, based on the reports by Grossi, which further turned out to be one of the first claims of non-compliance against Iran in nearly 20 years. The country was falsely accused of violating safeguarding obligations, with the measure adopted by 19 votes in favour, 11 abstentions, and 3 countries opposed (Russia, China, and Burkina Faso).

The resolution pushed by Britain, France and Germany, backed by the US, gave way to "strong" condemnations from Iran, followed by announcements of a new nuclear facility, along with the upgrade to an advanced level at the Fordow enrichment plant.

Grossi’s report and the resulting resolution, according to analysts, facilitated the Israeli aggression on June 13, which in turn led to the killing of several nuclear scientists and high-ranking military commanders.

On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on several areas in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists and many civilians. Iran responded with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel.

On June 22, US President Donald Trump said the United States had carried out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites -- Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. In response, Iran launched missile attacks on the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

After 12 days of fighting, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was reached on June 24.

Following the law's approval, the responsibility for overseeing its implementation fell to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Although the council has not issued a public statement, the fact that Pezeshkian chairs the council suggests that his reported directive indicates the bill will move forward.

Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers -- brokered during the presidency of Barack Obama -- permitted Tehran to enrich uranium up to 3.67 per cent, a level suitable for nuclear power generation but far below the 90 per cent enrichment required for weapons-grade material.

The deal also significantly limited Iran’s uranium stockpile, imposed strict controls on centrifuge usage, and granted the IAEA expanded access to monitor compliance.

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)