Iran says nuclear cooperation with IAEA ‘no longer relevant’

After Western nations reinstated international sanctions against Iran, the country’s foreign minister has declared that cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog is no longer necessary.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that the Cairo agreement, which was a deal reached last month with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is no longer relevant for our cooperation with the IAEA.

After Tehran suspended cooperation following Israeli and American attacks on its nuclear facilities in June, that agreement established a framework for new inspections and monitoring.

The 2015 nuclear agreement, which included Britain, France, and Germany, was put on hold as a result of the UN’s repeated sanctions against Iran, who had previously criticized Iran for breaking its commitments. Tehran has since refuted these accusations.

Araghchi reportedly threatened to implement a snapback after the three European nations “fell in their hands and threatened to do so” in a statement to foreign diplomats in Tehran. They have already seen the effects of using this lever. The three European nations have undoubtedly diminished their influence and almost eliminated any justification for negotiations with them.

In any future discussions about Iran’s nuclear program, he added, the European trio “will play a much smaller role” than they did in the past.

Double standards

Tehran has accused the IAEA of using double standards, alleging that despite its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the organization did not condemn Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Iran has long been accused of having nuclear weapons by Western nations, supported by Israel and led by the US, a claim Tehran strongly refutes. Iran insists that the NPT only grants it the right to enrich uranium while its program is solely for civilians.

Despite President Masoud Pezeshkian insisting that Iran will continue to fulfill its obligations under the NPT, some Iranian lawmakers have suggested completely withdrawing from the agreement.

Without going into specifics, Araghchi said that “there is still room for diplomacy” and that Tehran’s “decision regarding cooperation with the agency will be announced.

After Israeli attacks in June targeted Iranian nuclear, military, and residential sites, Iran and the US negotiations that started in April to revive a wider nuclear agreement fell apart.

Tehran has since called on Washington to restore diplomacy and demand that it be guaranteed and recognized before any potential resumption of talks.