Iran has rebuffed a request by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to visit its nuclear facilities hit during recent hostilities, further straining relations with the UN nuclear watchdog in the aftermath of the Iran-Israel conflict.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on social media platform X on Monday, criticised Grossi’s request as “meaningless” and “possibly malign in intent,” vowing that Tehran would take “any steps in defence of its interests, its people and its sovereignty.”
The rejection comes amid growing Iranian frustration with what officials describe as the IAEA’s failure to condemn Israeli and US strikes on its territory during a 12-day conflict earlier in June.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, announced that Iran had halted cooperation with the IAEA due to what he termed the agency chief’s “destructive behaviour.” The president’s office said the decision was a “natural response” to the IAEA’s stance, particularly a resolution passed on June 12 accusing Iran of non-compliance with its nuclear commitments—just one day before Israel’s airstrikes.
Iranian lawmakers also voted in favour of a bill on Wednesday suspending cooperation with the IAEA, citing the June 13 Israeli attack and subsequent US strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel came into effect on June 24.
Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, noted that the Iranian leadership views the IAEA as operating under political pressure from Israel and the United States, despite its mandate as a technical and neutral body.
The developments have sparked international concern. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement on Monday condemning “threats” against Grossi and urging Tehran to resume full cooperation with the agency.
“France, Germany and the United Kingdom condemn threats against the director general of the IAEA Rafael Grossi and reiterate our full support to the agency,” the foreign ministers of the three countries said. They called on Iran to “immediately resume full cooperation in line with its legally binding obligations.”
While no specific threats were mentioned, Iran’s ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper recently alleged that Grossi was working as an Israeli spy and suggested he should be executed—a claim that has further escalated tensions.
Iran has dismissed such allegations as unfounded. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the parliament’s move to suspend cooperation reflected the “concern and anger of Iranian public opinion,” and blamed the West for maintaining a “political approach” towards Iran’s nuclear programme.
The recent military exchange with Israel left at least 935 Iranians dead, according to judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir. The fatalities reportedly included 132 women and 38 children.
Meanwhile, the Group of Seven (G7) nations welcomed the Iran-Israel ceasefire and urged the resumption of negotiations to address Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“We reaffirm that Iran can never have nuclear weapons, and urge Iran to refrain from reconstituting its unjustified enrichment activities,” the G7 said in a joint statement released on Monday.
Qatar, which has played a role in previous diplomatic efforts between Iran and the West, has confirmed its involvement in ongoing negotiations aimed at preventing further escalation. In a phone call with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, President Pezeshkian issued an official apology following the targeting of Al Udeid Air Base—the largest US military installation in the Middle East—during the recent conflict.
