Iran to cooperate with IAEA in new way: FM

Iran says its cooperation with the IAEA will continue — but under new terms and stricter oversight, following what it calls politically motivated reporting by the agency.

Speaking in Tianjin after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting, Araghchi told that a recent IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program was politically motivated and helped justify U.S. and Israeli strikes in June.

Despite this tension, Araghchi emphasized that “Iran will remain committed to NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) and its safeguard agreement,” but noted that all cooperation with the IAEA will now be handled by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council rather than the Atomic Energy Organization.

He stressed that Iran's cooperation had not stopped, but inspections—especially at damaged sites—would now be handled case by case.

“As an example,” he explained, “if they wish to visit one of those targeted nuclear facilities… first of all, for the safety of the inspectors themselves… there is the risk of radiation, there is unexploded ammunition still there. So, visiting a damaged facility is different from visiting a normal facility.”

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