Iran moves to suspend cooperation with UN watchdog IAEA after nuclear site strikes by US, Israel

Iran’s parliament voted on Wednesday to suspend the country’s cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), state media outlet IRIB reported.

The decision by Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, known as the Majles, will now need to be ratified by the Supreme National Security Council, chaired by President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Votes by the Majles, particularly when concerning foreign affairs, are often considered to be symbolic unless backed by the more powerful body handpicked by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Lawmakers chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” after the vote on Wednesday, state TV reported.

Since the start of the war, Iranian officials have sharply criticised the IAEA for failing to condemn the Israeli attacks.

IAEA Warns of ‘Unexploded Ordnance’ Post Iran Nuclear Sites Attack

The head of the UN nuclear agency, Rafael Grossi, said on Wednesday that his inspectors' top priority is returning to Iran's nuclear facilities to assess the impact of recent military strikes on Tehran's nuclear programme.

Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), was speaking to reporters at an Austrian cabinet meeting in Vienna.

IAEA Chief Grossi revealed that Iran had informed him of taking "protective measures" on its enriched uranium stock. He described the current inspections as highly unusual, noting the presence of rubble and the potential for unexploded ordnance, emphasising that these are not normal inspection conditions.

Grossi expressed his intention to re-engage with Iran, suggesting Vienna as a possible venue for talks. He also acknowledged that the inspection regime is currently interrupted.

The IAEA has pushed for a resumption of its relationship with Iran, paused by Israel’s unprecedented strikes on nuclear facilities in the country beginning on 13 June.

On Tuesday the watchdog released a statement welcoming the end to the 12-day conflict, saying “IAEA inspectors have remained in Iran throughout the conflict and are ready to start working as soon as possible, going back to the country’s nuclear sites and verifying the inventories of nuclear material – including more than 400 kg of uranium enriched to 60% - which they last verified a few days before the Israeli air strikes began on 13 June.

Israel, on 13 June, launched a major bombardment campaign that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists.

On Sunday, Israel's ally the United States launched unprecedented strikes of its own on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz, before a ceasefire was agreed on Tuesday.

US Early Intel Assessment of Nuclear Sites in Iran

The US military’s strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities did not destroy the core components of its nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, according to an early US intelligence assessment.

The analysis of the damage to the sites and the impact of the strikes on Iran’s nuclear ambitions is ongoing, and could change as more intelligence becomes available. But the early findings are at odds with President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said on Sunday that Iran’s nuclear ambitions “have been obliterated.”

Impact Of Iran Not Cooperating with IAEA

If Iran breaks ties with the UN nuclear watchdog, IAEA, it could significantly curtail or completely block international inspections of its nuclear facilities, severely limiting the agency’s ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear activities.

According to experts, this suspension of cooperation would further isolate Iran from the international community and complicate diplomatic efforts to manage and resolve concerns over its nuclear programme.

Such a move may provoke strong reactions from Western powers, including the imposition of new sanctions or even military responses, as suspending cooperation undermines the global nuclear non-proliferation framework and raises fears about potential nuclear weapon development, warn experts.

The IAEA’s capacity to detect diversion of nuclear materials and undeclared nuclear activities would be greatly diminished, increasing the risk of unchecked nuclear proliferation.