The Iranian government has indicated the possibility of expelling inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from the country. This development follows a series of events triggered by Israel's military actions that began on June 13, which led to the suspension of the IAEA's inspections of Iranian nuclear sites.
As tensions rise, Iranian officials have accused the agency of supporting Israeli military operations. On Wednesday, Iran's hard-line-dominated parliament voted to "suspend" cooperation with the IAEA and restrict its inspectors' access to the nation, as reported by state media. Although this legislative action is currently symbolic and requires approval from a higher authority to take effect, it reflects Iran's ongoing defiance.
This vote may signal a potential resurgence of Iran's nuclear ambitions amid the backdrop of recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on its facilities. It could also serve as a strategic maneuver by Iran to gain leverage in future negotiations regarding its nuclear program with the Trump administration.
The IAEA's primary role involves monitoring nuclear activities in Iran and other signatories of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, aiming to prevent the development of nuclear weapons. Iran is a signatory, while Israel is not recognized as such by the IAEA, although it is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons.
Under the terms of its agreement with the IAEA, Iran is obligated to allow inspections of its declared nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Fordo, which were targeted during recent U.S. bombings. Israeli officials have suggested the existence of undisclosed nuclear sites that Iran has not reported to the IAEA.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed on Wednesday that he has requested permission for inspectors to return to the sites but did not comment directly on the recent parliamentary vote. IAEA inspectors remained in Iran during the conflict and were prepared to verify the status of Iran's nuclear material, having last conducted inspections just prior to the commencement of Israeli airstrikes.
Relations between the IAEA and Iran have deteriorated significantly. A day before the Israeli attacks, the IAEA officially stated that Iran was not adhering to its nuclear nonproliferation commitments, citing failures to provide information on undeclared nuclear materials and activities at several locations.
Iranian officials have publicly criticized Grossi for his late comments regarding the absence of evidence for a systematic Iranian effort to develop nuclear weapons, which they claim failed to prevent Israel from leveraging the IAEA's report to justify its military actions.
Historically, IAEA access to Iran improved following the 2015 nuclear agreement that imposed restrictions on Iran's nuclear enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. This deal granted the agency oversight over additional aspects of Iran's nuclear program, including the ability to conduct snap inspections of sites not previously disclosed as nuclear facilities by Iran.
However, following the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement in 2018 and the re-imposition of stringent sanctions, Iran began to limit IAEA monitoring and enrich uranium beyond the agreed-upon levels.
In a report released in late May, the IAEA noted that Iran was still cooperating but highlighted areas where its cooperation was "less than satisfactory." While Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, the IAEA maintains that it cannot verify this claim without further information and increased monitoring access to Iran's nuclear activities.