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By Amira El-Fekki
Middle East News Reporter
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The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its inspectors have departed Tehran and arrived safely to Vienna after Iran suspended cooperation in the wake of attacks on its nuclear program by Israel and the United States.
Newsweek has reached out to the Iranian Foreign Ministry for comment.
Why It Matters
The move is a sign of the increasing uncertainty over Iran's nuclear program, with Tehran signaling it will press ahead with its nuclear program — including uranium enrichment — despite recent U.S. and Israeli strikes that damaged key nuclear facilities.
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The departure of the inspectors means a reduction in international monitoring of what Iran is doing. It comes a day after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a law suspending cooperation with the IAEA, after parliament had voted in favor of the bill previously.
What To Know
"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 statement on X.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has "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."
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According to The Wall Street Journal, the withdrawal of the inspectors from Iran is due to safety concerns. Months before Israel and the U.S. attacked, Iran had threatened to expel IAEA inspectors and suspend cooperation.
The IAEA had assessed in June that Iran did not comply with its obligations. After the attacks, Iran has responded by saying it will establish a new facility for enriching uranium, which can be a step towards nuclear weapons.
Iran says it is committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) commitment not to seek nuclear weapons. Through the NPT's safeguards agreements, the IAEA monitors and verifies that signatories are meeting their obligations not to acquire a nuclear weapon.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told Newsweek on Wednesday: "The IAEA is awaiting further official information from Iran."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X Wednesday: "Iran remains committed to the NPT and its Safeguards Agreement. In accordance with the new legislation by Majlis, sparked by the unlawful attacks against our nuclear facilities by Israel and the U.S., our cooperation with @iaeaorg will be channeled through Iran's Supreme National Security Council for obvious safety and security reasons."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters: "First of all – and I want to get this correct here – it is – we'll use the word "unacceptable" – that Iran chose to suspend cooperation with the IAEA at a time when it has a window of opportunity to reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity. Iran must cooperate fully without further delay."
What Happens Next
No talks are currently scheduled but Iran may use its suspension of IAEA cooperation as leverage in future nuclear negotiations.
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