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”.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is intensifying, with fresh strikes near Tehran, European calls for restraint, and Iran threatening to target U.S. fi...
A man previously convicted of spying on Türkiye has been arrested by Turkish and Syrian authorities after more than a decade on the run, Turki...
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says around 25 kilometres of the TAPI gas pipeline have been laid in Herat province, as work co...
Three Armenian citizens have been charged following an alleged attempt to attack Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at St Anna Cathedral in Yerevan on ...
HHungary’s foreign minister has been drawn into controversy after an audio recording, released by ...
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is intensifying, with fresh strikes near Tehran, European calls for restraint, and Iran threatening to target U.S. firms in the region, raising fears of a broader escalation across the Middle East.
HHungary’s foreign minister has been drawn into controversy after an audio recording, released by an investigative outlet, appeared to show him discussing EU sanctions with his Russian counterpart days before an election that could shape Budapest’s relationship with Moscow, Reuters reports.
China and Kenya have agreed to revive a long-delayed railway project, signalling renewed momentum in infrastructure cooperation and a shift towards more sustainable financing models across Africa.
Over a century ago, the streets of Baku were engulfed in violence as thousands of civilians perished during the March Days of 1918, marking one of the darkest chapters in Azerbaijan’s history.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is intensifying, with fresh strikes near Tehran, European calls for restraint, and Iran threatening to target U.S. firms in the region, raising fears of a broader escalation across the Middle East.
The war in Iran has rapidly upended regional security, triggering spillover across the Middle East and raising fears of wider economic disruption that could threaten globalisation.
The Israeli military said on Monday that Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, and an attack had also been launched from Yemen for the second time since the U.S.-Israeli war began on Tehran. It said two drones from Yemen were intercepted early 30 March but gave no further details.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says around 25 kilometres of the TAPI gas pipeline have been laid in Herat province, as work continues on one of the region’s largest energy projects.
Three Armenian citizens have been charged following an alleged attempt to attack Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at St Anna Cathedral in Yerevan on 29 March. Analysts say the incident reflects rising tensions between the government and the Church ahead of upcoming elections.
A man previously convicted of spying on Türkiye has been arrested by Turkish and Syrian authorities after more than a decade on the run, Turkish security sources said on Monday.
Uzbekistan is hosting the fifth-anniversary Space Technology Conference - Central Eurasia (STC 2026), bringing together more than 400 delegates, 24 sponsors and representatives from 32 countries to discuss the region’s space industry and expand international cooperation.
Kazakhstan remains among the least dependent countries in Central Asia on Chinese capital, maintaining a diversified external debt structure and greater financial flexibility than its regional peers.
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