Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that the IAEA will not be granted access to the damaged facilities, calling any such inspection “not prudent” following the attacks.
TEHRAN — Iran has officially vetted United Nations inspectors from accessing the nuclear sites that were bombed by the United States and Israel earlier this year, escalating the standoff with the international community.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Thursday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would not be allowed to inspect the facilities targeted during the 12-day war in June without a concrete new agreement.
“The facilities that were attacked have their own story, and until a decision is made and a conclusion is reached between us, the IAEA, and others, cooperation is not possible,” Araghchi said in an interview published on his Telegram channel.
The ban specifically applies to key sites such as the underground enrichment facility at Fordow and the plant at Natanz, which suffered significant damage from U.S. “bunker buster” bombs and Israeli airstrikes. Tehran has accused the UN watchdog of bias for failing to condemn the military operations.
“The fact that they came, attacked, and left… and now the agency comes to prepare a report for them on where was hit, what happened, and how much damage was caused is not possible, clearly not prudent,” Araghchi added.
The Foreign Minister’s comments were released just hours before the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna adopted a resolution demanding that Iran provide immediate access to the sites. The resolution, backed by the U.S. and European powers, insists on verifying the status of nuclear material to ensure none has been diverted for military purposes.
Araghchi also took a hardline stance on broader negotiations, particularly regarding Iran’s missile program. “Negotiating on missiles, for example, to reduce them, to reduce their range, to reduce their number… there is no greater betrayal than this,” he affirmed.
The diplomatic breakdown follows a brief attempt to restore cooperation in September, which Tehran declared invalid after European governments triggered “snapback” sanctions mechanisms in response to Iran’s nuclear advances. With inspectors locked out and the IAEA warning of a “blind spot” regarding Iran’s enrichment activities, fears of a renewed military confrontation are growing.
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