Tehran (TDI): Iran’s parliament has overwhelmingly passed a bill to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reflecting growing frustration in Tehran over recent attacks on its nuclear facilities and what it views as biased conduct by the UN watchdog.
According to Iranian state media, 222 lawmakers voted in favor of the legislation, with no votes against and only one abstention.
The bill prohibits IAEA inspectors from accessing nuclear facilities unless Iran receives firm guarantees about their safety and impartiality.
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The vote follows a sharp rise in regional tensions after the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization criticized the attacks, calling them a breach of international law and a violation of both the UN Charter and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Speaking to local media, Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said the legislation was triggered by what he described as “unacceptable behavior” by the IAEA amid acts of aggression targeting Iranian territory.
The bill calls for halting all forms of cooperation with the agency, including installation of surveillance cameras, site inspections, and submission of nuclear reports until the security of Iranian nuclear facilities is guaranteed and the agency ensures professional and neutral conduct.
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The parliamentary committee had earlier approved the framework of the bill in a closed-door session.
Rezaei emphasized that the proposed measures are not meant to derail Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities, but to safeguard national sovereignty in the face of external threats.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
