DUBAI, United Arab Emirates โ In a decisive response to recent American and Israeli airstrikes that struck its crucial nuclear sites, Iranโs President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday decreed a halt in the nationโs cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This move is likely to complicate the efforts of international inspectors to oversee Iranโs nuclear program, which has been enriching uranium alarmingly close to weapons-grade levels. The presidentโs directive did not specify a timeline or detailed steps regarding the suspension. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed willingness to continue the dialogue with the United States in an interview, indicating that diplomatic avenues remain open for negotiation.
Reflecting on U.S. President Donald Trumpโs indication that renewed talks could begin soon, Araghchi said, โI donโt think negotiations will restart as quickly as that,โ but he emphasized that โthe doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.โ Historically, Iran has previously restricted IAEA access as part of bargaining tactics in its negotiations with Western nations, although Tehran has currently denied any immediate plans to revive talks disrupted by the recent conflict with Israel.
Iranโs state media broadcasted Pezeshkianโs order, which followed a parliamentary bill mandating the suspension. The bill had already won approval from Iranโs constitutional authority, the Guardian Council, and looked to have backing from the Supreme National Security Council chaired by Pezeshkian. State television provided the text of the bill: โThe government is mandated to immediately suspend all cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency under the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its related Safeguards Agreement.โ The suspension is to remain until Iran receives assurances regarding the security of its nuclear facilities and scientists.
The IAEA, based in Vienna, waits to receive formal communication from Iran concerning this suspension. Despite this announcement, inspectors have not yet been expelled, according to a diplomat with knowledge of IAEA operations who spoke anonymously.
The announcement prompted quick condemnation from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who decried the move on social media as a โcomplete renunciation of all its international nuclear obligations and commitments.โ Saar called for the European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran to invoke the snapback provision, which could restore U.N. sanctions lifted when the deal was originally struck.
The Iranian announcement has raised alarms but stopped short of the most severe measures analysts feared, such as a complete end to IAEA cooperation or withdrawal from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Should Iran ultimately decide to take that route, it would spur an international crisis by accelerating towards developing a nuclear weapon, a step it has been suspected of pursuing prior to 2003. Under the 2015 agreement, Iran had agreed to limit uranium enrichment to 3.67%, far below the 90% needed for weapons and to reduce its uranium stockpile significantly. However, since the U.S. withdrew from the pact in 2018 under Trump, citing insufficient constraints on Iran, the tensions have escalated with Iran now enriching uranium up to 60%.
The Iranian move followed airstrikes by Israel that started on June 13, which targeted military and nuclear infrastructure, exacerbating tensions further. The strikes allegedly dealt a heavy blow to the Revolutionary Guard and claimed to inch Tehran closer to nuclear armament capability, as stated by Israel. Iran reported the loss of 935 lives, including women and children, though the accuracy of these figures is disputed.
The human cost of these actions has been significant, with estimates from the Human Rights Activists group in Washington placing the casualty number at 1,190 deaths, including both civilians and security personnel. U.S. sources have asserted that the airstrikes have significantly damaged Iranโs nuclear capacity, delaying any nuclear weapon development by approximately two years.
Despite these developments, the intricate situation on the ground appears poised for further diplomatic engagement, although significant hurdles remain. The international community continues to monitor developments closely as the geopolitical implications of Iranโs decision unfold.