Iran’s President Allegedly Halts Collaboration with U.N. Nuclear Regulatory Agency

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has reportedly ordered the suspension of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following American airstrikes on key nuclear facilities. This directive comes after Iran’s parliament passed a law to halt such collaboration, receiving approval from a constitutional watchdog. The implications of this decision for the IAEA, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, remain unclear. The IAEA, based in Vienna, has been monitoring Iran’s nuclear program for several years.

Despite requests for comments, the agency has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the recent developments. The Supreme National Security Council, which Pezeshkian leads, is tasked with overseeing the bill’s implementation. However, discretion is given to the council under Iran’s theocratic government, allowing for a potential variation in how the legislation is enacted. The ongoing tensions can be traced back to the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under then-President Barack Obama, which permitted Iran to enrich uranium to a level safe for power generation, but well below the threshold for weapons-grade material.

The agreement significantly curtailed Iran’s uranium stockpile and its use of centrifuges while instituting rigorous oversight from the IAEA. In 2018, President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear deal, arguing it did not address Iran’s missile program or its regional military activities. This decision ignited a series of escalating tensions, including various assaults on land and at sea. Currently, Iran has been enriching uranium to levels nearing 60%, posing the risk of developing nuclear weapons capabilities if it chooses to proceed.

While the Iranian government maintains that its nuclear ambitions are peaceful, Western intelligence, alongside the IAEA, has evidence of a structured weapons program that persisted until 2003.