Iran and UN appear at odds over nuclear deal

Agreement potentially paves way for resumed cooperation after Israel-Iran conflict sparked rift between Tehran and UN.

The United Nations nuclear watchdog and Iran have offered seemingly contradictory statements regarding a deal to resume cooperation on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday that it had secured a deal offering it access to all of Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, shortly afterwards, Tehran insisted that the agreement does not guarantee inspections.

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The deal, announced on Tuesday, was seen as capping months of tension. Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA after attacks by Israel and the United States on its nuclear facilities in June.

Speaking to the IAEA Board of Governors on Wednesday, Director General Rafael Grossi provided details of the agreement announced a day earlier, saying it includes “all facilities and installations in Iran” and “contemplates the required reporting on all the attacked facilities, including the nuclear material present”.

“Iran and the agency will now resume cooperation in a respective and comprehensive way,” he added, despite “the technical nature” of the document’s contents.

However, shortly afterwards, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the deal does not guarantee inspectors access to Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran wants further talks on how inspections are to be carried out.

“I have to reiterate the agreement does not currently provide access to IAEA inspectors, apart from the Bushehr nuclear plant,” Araghchi told state TV in an interview.

“Based on reports that Iran will issue in the future, the nature of access will have to be discussed at an appropriate time,” he added.

Access would require the approval of the Supreme National Security Council. During its most recent inspection, the IAEA was not given access to key sites that were struck by Israel and the US.

While Iran’s uranium enrichment sites were badly damaged or destroyed by the strikes, it is unclear what happened to the country’s stockpile, which includes uranium enriched to up to 60 percent purity, a short step from the roughly 90 percent required for weapons-grade.

European powers have threatened to reimpose international sanctions against Iran that were lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal.

Warming relations

Nevertheless, Tuesday’s agreement marked a warming of IAEA-Iran relations after a protracted back-and-forth.

After the Israeli and US strikes in a 12-day war that killed more than 600 people – among them top scientists and military personnel – and injured thousands, relations broke down.

Angered that the IAEA did not condemn the attacks and accusing the agency of “double standards”, President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a law in early July suspending all cooperation with the watchdog and prompting inspectors to leave the country.

For its part, the IAEA has described its inability to verify Iran’s nuclear stockpile since the start of the war “a matter of serious concern”.

Although Araghchi said the agreement addresses Iran’s concerns, he had warned on Tuesday that Tehran was prepared to terminate the agreement if “any hostile act” took place against Iran.

“The message is clear: Iran will never compromise on its sovereignty, rights or security. At the same time, Iran is demonstrating restraint and responsibility by reaching an agreement with the agency to allow continued cooperation,” Araghchi said.

Tehran has stressed that the deal would be scrapped should international sanctions be reimposed.