IAEA urges wider access in Iran as Tehran rejects new resolution
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors has adopted a resolution calling on Iran to grant inspectors full access to its nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to dismiss the measure and warn of unspecified consequences, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The resolution, approved on Thursday with 19 votes in favor, three against, and 12 abstentions, urges Iran to provide detailed information on nuclear materials and allow inspection teams to visit all necessary sites. Russia, China, and Niger opposed the measure, according to diplomats familiar with the vote.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated that inspectors must be able to visit locations struck during June’s attacks, which Iran says were carried out by Israel and the United States. The IAEA has conducted some inspections since then but has not gained access to sites such as Fordow and Natanz.
Iran’s ambassador to the agency, Reza Najafi, cautioned that the decision “will have its own consequences,” though he declined to elaborate. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later stated that Iran will only cooperate regarding facilities unaffected by the attacks, in line with its interpretation of IAEA regulations.
Relations between Iran and the agency have been strained for years and further deteriorated following the 12-day conflict in June. Inspectors have been allowed to visit certain facilities, but access to several key sites remains restricted. An agreement reached in Cairo in early September to resume full inspections stalled after the United Kingdom, France, and Germany triggered the return of UN sanctions under the snapback mechanism, which Iran strongly opposed.
Despite the escalation, France’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal remain open to renewed diplomatic engagement with Tehran. The United States has also signaled interest in potential talks, with President Donald Trump saying this week that discussions are underway.
The future of the inspection process and wider negotiations remains uncertain, as Tehran continues to insist that the IAEA must first address its concerns about the June attacks before cooperation can fully resume.
A day earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that IAEA chief Rafael Grossi had confirmed the resumption of nuclear inspections in Iran.
