Iran has reportedly ordered the suspension of its cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), following American airstrikes on key nuclear facilities, escalating tensions between Tehran and the West.
According to Iranian state media, President Masoud Pezeshkian issued the directive to end engagement with the IAEA, acting on a parliamentary law already ratified by Iran’s Guardian Council. The decision comes in the wake of escalating hostilities after US strikes targeted what have been described as some of Iran’s most critical nuclear sites.
The full implications of the move remain unclear. The Vienna-based IAEA, which oversees Iran’s nuclear activities, has yet to respond formally. The agency has played a crucial role in verifying Iran’s compliance with nuclear limits agreed under previous international accords.
Although the legislation mandates a halt to cooperation, the actual scope of enforcement lies with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, chaired by Pezeshkian. His reported instruction suggests the measure will be implemented, though Iran’s political system may allow selective execution of the law.
Iran's cooperation with the IAEA had been a cornerstone of the 2015 nuclear deal brokered during Barack Obama’s presidency. Under the agreement, Tehran accepted strict limits on uranium enrichment and allowed robust monitoring in exchange for sanctions relief. The pact permitted enrichment up to 3.67 per cent purity, far below weapons-grade threshold.
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However, the deal unravelled in 2018 after US President Donald Trump withdrew unilaterally, criticising the accord for its narrow focus and failing to address Iran's ballistic missile programme and regional proxy activities.
In the years since, Iran has increased enrichment to 60 per cent purity, a mere technical step from weapons-grade 90 per cent, and amassed enough material to potentially assemble several nuclear warheads, if it chose to pursue them. Tehran continues to maintain that its nuclear programme remains peaceful, despite findings by the IAEA and Western intelligence agencies indicating it maintained an organised weapons programme until at least 2003.
As of now, the move raises concerns over transparency and oversight of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
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