The United States has stated that Iran has not agreed to inspections of its nuclear programme or given up enriching uranium.
According to President Donald Trump, Tehran’s nuclear programme has been “set back permanently”, although he conceded that Iran could restart it at a different location. “I would think they’d have to start at a different location. And if they did start, it would be a problem,” Trump said.
The US and Israel have accused Iran of enriching uranium to build nuclear weapons, while Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is for civilian use only. Neither US intelligence nor the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has found any proof that Tehran is building a nuclear weapon.
The IAEA has reported that it has pulled out its inspectors from Iran as a standoff deepens over their return to the country’s nuclear facilities that were bombed by the US and Israel.
The IAEA’s Director-General, Rafael Grossi, has stressed “the crucial importance” of holding talks with Iran to resume its monitoring and verification work as soon as possible.
However, Iran has made painfully clear its burgeoning distrust of the IAEA, sharply criticizing the agency for failing to condemn the Israeli and US strikes. Iranian officials have also accused the IAEA of passing a resolution on June 12 accusing Tehran of non-compliance with its nuclear obligations, the day before Israel attacked.
In response to the IAEA’s actions, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the country to cut ties with the nuclear watchdog. A bill to suspend cooperation had already been passed in the Iranian parliament and approved by the country’s Guardian Council.
Guardian Council spokesperson Hadi Tahan Nazif said the decision had been taken for the “full respect for the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
The bill itself states that the suspension “will remain in effect until certain conditions are met, including the guaranteed security of nuclear facilities and scientists”. While the IAEA says Iran has not yet formally informed it of any suspension, it is unclear when the agency’s inspectors will be able to return to Iran.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has summarily dismissed Grossi’s request to visit nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the US, saying “Grossi’s insistence on visiting the bombed sites under the pretext of safeguards is meaningless and possibly even malign in intent”.
The US claims military strikes either destroyed or badly damaged Iran’s three uranium enrichment sites. However, it is less clear what happened to much of Iran’s nine tonnes of enriched uranium, especially the more than 400kg (880 pounds) enriched to up to 60 percent purity. Trump said he would discuss Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visits the White House on Monday, where a potential Gaza ceasefire is expected to top the agenda.