UN nuclear watchdog back in Iran, no deal yet on inspections

UN nuclear inspectors have returned to Iran for the first time since Tehran halted cooperation following Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told lawmakers that Iran had yet to agree on terms for fully resuming cooperation with the UN’s IAEA watchdog, according to parliament news agency ICANA.

However, he confirmed the inspectors would oversee the replacement of fuel at the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

His remarks came a day after Iran held talks with France, Britain and Germany in a bid to revive negotiations on its nuclear programme – which Western powers accuse of being designed to build a bomb, though Tehran insists it is strictly for civilian use.

Iran has argued that a new framework with the International Atomic Energy Agency is needed following the 12-day conflict with Israel in June, which later saw the United States join.

In June, Iran’s parliament passed legislation suspending cooperation with the IAEA, requiring that any future inspections be approved by the Supreme National Security Council.

The Council authorised the current visit, but “no draft for a new cooperation mechanism with the IAEA has been finalised or approved,” Araqchi was quoted as saying. “The changing of the fuel of Bushehr nuclear reactor has to be done under the supervision of inspectors of the international agency,” he added.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Fox News on Tuesday that “the first team of IAEA inspectors is back in Iran,” but noted that discussions on how to restart inspections were still ongoing.

Following the June strikes, Iran maintained that its nuclear sites were no longer safe for inspectors.

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