TEHRAN — Iran has suspended its cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog following recent attacks on its nuclear facilities, laying blame squarely on International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, reported by Tasnim News Agency.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in a sharply worded statement on X, accused Grossi of “malign intent” and claimed the IAEA chief played a “regrettable role” in enabling the United States and Israel to target Iranian nuclear sites.
“Iran’s Parliament has voted to halt collaboration with the IAEA until the security of our nuclear activities is guaranteed,” Araqchi declared, citing recent bombings at Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz. The strikes, reportedly conducted by Israel and the United States, marked a dramatic escalation in the shadow conflict surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Araqchi charged that Grossi’s latest report — which he called biased and politically motivated — provided justification for a resolution passed by the IAEA Board of Governors. That resolution, he argued, gave diplomatic cover for the subsequent military actions.
“In failing to condemn these flagrant violations of international law and IAEA safeguards, Mr. Grossi has betrayed the fundamental neutrality of his office,” Araqchi said. “His insistence on visiting bombed sites is not only meaningless under current conditions — it is dangerous.”
The Iranian Parliament’s vote marks a turning point in Tehran’s relationship with the IAEA, which has been tense for years but never fully severed. Grossi has yet to respond publicly to Araqchi’s accusations, though IAEA sources maintain that inspections are essential to transparency and non-proliferation efforts.
Iran, meanwhile, has warned that it reserves “all rights to defend its sovereignty,” signaling the crisis may deepen before diplomacy has a chance to re-emerge.
