Cairo (TDI): The Director‑General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, announced Tuesday that Iran has agreed to resume inspections at all declared nuclear sites, including those hit by Israel and the United States, in June.
The agreement came during high-level discussions held in Cairo between Grossi and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with the mediation of Egypt’s foreign minister.
Earlier, in August, an IAEA official also visited Iran in hopes to melt the ice and persuade the country to reverse the decision it took in June, to suspend cooperation with the nuclear watchdog.
IAEA officials had to leave Iran in the first week of July after the Iranian President signed the bill suspending all forms of cooperation with the Agency.
Grossi described the outcome as “a step in the right direction,” emphasizing that it establishes “practical modalities” for resuming inspection activities in Iran.
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While the specific technical details of the agreement remain unknown, IAEA confirmed it paves the way for full restoration of inspection rights and subsequent safeguards.
The backdrop to this development involves heightened tensions between Iran and the three European countries called E3 – France, UK, and Germany.
The E3 have initiated a snapback sanctions mechanism already, citing lack of cooperation from Iran on the nuclear issue. The sanctions have not yet taken effect but come into force once the one month timeline ends, unless there is a revocation by the E3.
Iran has cautioned that any renewed sanctions or hostile actions would render the agreement with the IAEA void. This means that the agreement stands as the sole protector against E3’s sanctions on Iran.
“Let me emphasize: in the event of any hostile action against Iran — including the reinstatement of cancelled U.N. Security Council resolutions — Iran will consider these practical steps null and void,” Araqchi said.
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