UN nuclear inspectors leave Iran

Move follows Tehran's decision to suspend co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, attends an emergency meeting of the nuclear watchdog’s board of governors on June 23. Reuters

The UN nuclear watchdog said its inspectors left Iran on Friday after Tehran suspended co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency following Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear sites last month.

“An IAEA team of inspectors today safely departed from Iran to return to the agency headquarters in Vienna, after staying in Tehran throughout the recent military conflict,” the agency said in a post on X.

“IAEA director general Rafael Grossi reiterated the crucial importance of the IAEA discussing with Iran modalities for resuming its indispensable monitoring and verification activities in Iran as soon as possible,” it added.

Iran officially suspended its co-operation with the IAEA on Wednesday, when President Masoud Pezeshkian approved a law passed by parliament on June 25, the day after a ceasefire ended a 12-day aerial war with Israel.

The law aims to “ensure full support for the inherent rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran” under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, with a particular focus on uranium enrichment, according to Iranian media.

Diplomats who spoke to Reuters said the number of IAEA inspectors in Iran was reduced to a handful after the start of the war. Some also expressed concern about the inspectors' safety since the end of the conflict, given fierce criticism of the agency by Iranian officials and media, the agency reported.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Iran's future dealings with the IAEA would only be through its Supreme National Security Council, while also reiterating the country's commitment to remain a party to the non-proliferation treaty.

The IAEA says Iran has not yet officially notified it of any decision to suspend co-operation.