Iran has ruled out the U.S.-EU demand for a halt in its civilian nuclear program as an “impossible” pre-condition to restart nuclear negotiations.
The oil rich nation also called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to be “independent and professional” in the performance of its duties
Spokesman of Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said that it is not impossible to resume cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog but added it is a “complicated technical” issue.
“It requires new protocols on inspection of the nuclear sites bombed by Israel and US last June,” he said in an interview with ISNA news agency regarding Iran’s condition for renewed monitoring of its sites after they were suspended by the country’s parliamentary legislation.
“Iran’s relations with the IAEA changed after our nuclear facilities under UN safeguards were attacked last June while we were committed to our international obligations.” Kamalvandi said.
Any inspection of Iran’s nuclear sites must carefully balance transparency with national security concerns.” He added.
According to the spokesman, Iran maintained communication with the IAEA during the war by sending multiple reports detailing the attacks on its nuclear sites, but it was the agency which failed to condemn the attacks, effectively serving as a green light for the invasion.
Kamalvandi also said Iran is ready to engage with the western countries if they have “legitimate concerns” but ruled out “zero enrichment” as an impractical demand to restart the negotiations.
Earlier last week, he stressed that the safeguards agreement is unfit for wartime and said, “IAEA’s current safeguards agreement requires legal revision because it is inadequate in light of the circumstances following the 12‑day war”.
Kamalvandi criticised IAEA’s “political and untechnical” approach, arguing the agency has complicated prospects of cooperation and also underscored the need for mechanisms to prevent misuse of sensitive information.
“Iran’s nuclear file has, from its inception, been shaped more by political pressures than by technical assessments, creating persistent challenges for both Iran and international monitoring bodies,” he told IRNA news agency.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also urged IAEA and its chief Rafael Grossi to act “independently” and avoid being motivated by political interests of western countries in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program.
He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Russia Today TV program Worlds Apart, during his visit to Moscow last week which was aired on Sunday.
When asked about Tehran’s relations with IAEA in the wake of the US-Israel air raids on Iran’s civilian nuclear facilities under UN safeguards, he said Iran is committed to its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
However, Araghchi was quick to add that the UN nuclear watchdog does not have any procedure on inspection of the safeguarded bombed sites.
“We are ready for a fair and balanced (nuclear) deal but will not accept diktats,” he added referring to U.S. and EU pre-conditions.
Araghchi also said that it had been months since he was last in contact with the U.S. Middle East envoy and nuclear negotiator Steve Witkoff because Iran concluded that Washington is “not prepared for a fair deal”.
The minister also said he held five rounds of mediated nuclear talks with Witkoff since April and they were ready to hold the sixth round in mid-June when Israel and the Trump-led administration bombed Iran’s nuclear sites.
Responding to a question about likely new attacks by U.S. and Israel, Araghchi said while Iran “does not welcome a war, it is totally prepared for it”.
“The best thing to do to prevent a war is to be prepared for it, he said, “It is why we have strengthened our defensive might following the war”.
In Russia, power has always determined who rises and who falls. Under Boris Yeltsin, oligarchs emerged as state property was carved up in the chaos of...
Prospects for Azerbaijan–Türkiye ties in 2026 will largely depend on regional peace efforts and the broader geopolitical environment in the South C...
Iran has ruled out the U.S.-EU demand for a halt in its civilian nuclear program as an “impossible” pre-condition to restart nuclear negotiations....
Australia on Sunday, honoured victims of an attack that happened a week ago during a seaside Hanukkah celebration, as the prime minister announced a r...
Israeli forces have launched new airstrikes across multiple areas of the Gaza Strip, despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement leading to multiple casual...
In Russia, power has always determined who rises and who falls. Under Boris Yeltsin, oligarchs emerged as state property was carved up in the chaos of the 1990s. Wealth was fast, often crude, and frequently independent of the Kremlin itself.
Prospects for Azerbaijan–Türkiye ties in 2026 will largely depend on regional peace efforts and the broader geopolitical environment in the South Caucasus according to a regional analyst.
Israeli forces have launched new airstrikes across multiple areas of the Gaza Strip, despite an ongoing ceasefire agreement leading to multiple casualties.
A photo of U.S. President Donald Trump that had been removed from the cache of Jeffrey Epstein files released by the Department of Justice was restored on Sunday.
The death toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades has risen to 161, after forensic analysis confirmed one more victim among the charred remains at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, more than three weeks after the blaze began, authorities said on Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump on 29 December in Florida, where he is expected to present a package of military options regarding Iran, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported on Saturday.
The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful.
The United States has proposed a potential new format for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which could include American and European representatives, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, December 20.
A major power outage swept across San Francisco on Saturday, leaving up to 130,000 customers without electricity, disrupting traffic and forcing some businesses to close temporarily, officials said.
In Russia, power has always determined who rises and who falls. Under Boris Yeltsin, oligarchs emerged as state property was carved up in the chaos of the 1990s. Wealth was fast, often crude, and frequently independent of the Kremlin itself.
Prospects for Azerbaijan–Türkiye ties in 2026 will largely depend on regional peace efforts and the broader geopolitical environment in the South Caucasus according to a regional analyst.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has welcomed the reopening of cargo transit between Armenia and Azerbaijan saying it could open new economic opportunities across the region.
Israel’s government has approved the creation of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move that analysts say further undermines the prospects for a viable Palestinian state.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the arrival of the first rail shipment of Azerbaijani petrol on Friday, calling the delivery — the first such transfer between the two countries in decades — a sign that “peace has now become a reality”.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment