Iran cuts off cooperation with nuclear watchdog
Iran's leaders said Friday they would no longer cooperate with the United Nations's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes.
'The Parliament of Iran has voted for a halt to collaboration with the IAEA until the safety and security of our nuclear activities can be guaranteed,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on social platform X.
'This is a direct result of @rafaelmgrossi's regrettable role in obfuscating the fact that the Agency—a full decade ago—already closed all past issues,' Araghchi added, referring to IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
Araghchi also slammed Grossi for not condemning Israeli attacks after accusing the watchdog of passing information about the nation's nuclear developments to leaders in Jerusalem.
'The IAEA and its Director-General are fully responsible for this sordid state of affairs. @rafaelmgrossi's insistence on visiting the bombed sites under the pretext of safeguards is meaningless and possibly even malign in intent,' Araghchi wrote.
'Iran reserves the right to take any steps in defense of its interests, its people, and its sovereignty,' he added.
The IAEA earlier this week said Iran's nuclear facilities 'suffered enormous damage' from the U.S. airstrikes Saturday but refrained from using the term 'annihilated' to describe the destruction.
The remarks came after leaders in Russia urged Tehran to continue cooperating with the independent agency.
'We are interested in Iran's cooperation with the IAEA continuing,' Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday, according to Reuters.
'We are interested in everyone respecting the supreme leader of Iran, who has repeatedly stated that Iran does not and will not have plans to create nuclear weapons.'
Additionally, Araghchi on Thursday denied reports alleging Tehran would resume peace talks with the United States.
'Some speculations about the resumption of negotiations should not be taken seriously,' Araghchi said in remarks aired on state television.
'I would like to state clearly that no agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations. No plan has been set yet to start negotiations.'
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