IAEA Chief Pushes Excessive Demands on Iran While Ignoring Consequences of Western Aggression
Tehran - BORNA - In a recent interview with Ria Novosti, Grossi alleged that the Agency has not received updated data from Tehran regarding enriched uranium stockpiles or the extent of damage to nuclear facilities following the military escalations in June. He insisted that the IAEA must have access to these facilities to verify Iran's assertions that the sites are currently unsafe and inaccessible for inspectors. Grossi argued that under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, Iran is obligated to provide such access, regardless of the physical condition of the facilities.
However, these latest demands are viewed in Tehran as a continuation of a provocative and one-sided narrative. It was similar rhetoric from the IAEA leadership that previously served as a pretext for the aggressive attacks launched by the Zionist regime and the United States on the evening of June 13. Those strikes occurred even as Iran had prioritized transparency and was engaged in indirect diplomatic efforts with Washington through Omani mediation—a process that was ultimately betrayed by the White House.
The campaign of aggression, which included aerial bombardments and sabotage operations, targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, military commanders, and prominent physicists, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. Following the formal entry of the United States into the military campaign on June 22, Tehran responded on June 23 with precision missile strikes against the U.S. Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a move that effectively imposed a deterrent peace on the hostile parties.
The diplomatic standoff intensified on November 20, when the IAEA Board of Governors passed what Tehran described as a "political and unconstructive" resolution. The measure ignored Iran’s prior cooperation and demanded immediate reports on dismantled facilities and uranium stocks. In a firm response, Iran officially notified the Agency that it was terminating the "Cairo Agreement"—a framework established in September to manage cooperation in light of the attacks. This decision was catalyzed by the Western push to reinstate UN Security Council sanctions through the "Snapback" mechanism.
While Grossi continues to claim a lack of cooperation, IAEA staff did, in fact, visit the Tehran Research Reactor and the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant as recently as early November. The lack of access to sites such as Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow is a direct consequence of the extensive damage caused by U.S. and Israeli bombings during the June conflict. Mohammad Eslami, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), recently dismissed Grossi's calls for renewed inspections, stating that pressure exerted by the U.S., the E3, and the Israeli regime would have no impact on Tehran’s stance. Eslami asserted that it is the IAEA that must remain accountable to the world for its role in the current crisis.
Adding to the diplomatic context, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted on Monday that while Moscow and Tehran have consulted on the conditions for resuming relations with the IAEA and Western powers, the final decision rests solely with the leadership in Tehran. As the High Council for National Security determines the future of Iran’s cooperation with the Agency, the Iranian government maintains that the IAEA’s excessive demands cannot be met while the Agency ignores the blatant violations of international law by Western aggressors.
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