Iran: UN Nuclear Watchdog Official to Visit, No Inspections Planned

Iran has previously limited IAEA inspections as a pressure tactic in negotiations with the West, and it remains unclear when talks between Tehran and Washington will resume regarding a deal over Iran's nuclear program.

The deputy head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog will visit Iran in an effort to rekindle soured ties; however, there will be no inspection of nuclear facilities, the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Sunday, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

The visit would be the first following Israel and Iran’s 12-day war in June, when some of its key nuclear facilities were struck by Israel and the United States.

“As long as we haven’t reached a new framework for cooperation, there will be no cooperation, and the new framework will definitely be based on the law passed by the Parliament,” Araghchi said on Sunday.

During a television programme last week, state media quoted Aragchi as saying that Tehran would only allow for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cooperation through the approval of the Supreme National Security Council, the country’s highest security body.

On 3 July, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the IAEA after the controversial strikes.