Iran Halts Cooperation With UN Nuclear Watchdog

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on 2 July formally enacted legislation suspending all cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to multiple Iranian and regional media outlets. The order instructs the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Supreme National Security Council and the Foreign Ministry to implement the measure, which bars IAEA inspectors from accessing nuclear sites and halts the transmission of monitoring data.

The law, passed earlier by parliament, was presented as a response to recent U.S.-Israeli strikes that damaged several Iranian nuclear installations. While Iran remains a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the move sharply limits international oversight of its programme and requires the government to report back to lawmakers on compliance; officials who fail to enforce the suspension face legal penalties.

Tehran’s decision adds a new source of tension with the United Nations watchdog and Western governments, which have long relied on IAEA inspections to gauge the scope of Iran’s nuclear activities. The agency has not yet commented publicly on the suspension, but diplomats in Vienna said it further complicates efforts to revive broader nuclear talks.