Iran has downplayed the return of UN nuclear inspectors, stating that it does not signify a full resumption of cooperation. Instead, officials hinted at a “new form” of engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), weeks after ties were frozen following deadly Israeli and U.S. strikes on nuclear sites in June.
Rafael Grossi, the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog, confirmed that IAEA inspectors have begun their work at the key nuclear site of Bushehr in southwestern Iran. This marks the first team to enter the country since Tehran formally suspended cooperation with the agency last month.
“No final text has yet been approved on the new cooperation framework with the IAEA, and views are being exchanged,” said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as quoted by state television.
IAEA inspectors had left Iran after Israel launched an unprecedented attack on June 13, striking nuclear and military facilities and residential areas, and killing more than 1,000 people. Washington later joined in with strikes on nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz. In retaliation, Iran carried out missile and drone attacks that killed dozens in Israel. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since June 24.
Iran subsequently suspended its cooperation with the IAEA, citing the agency’s failure to condemn the Israeli and U.S. attacks. However, on Wednesday, Grossi stated that the inspectors were “there now,” adding, “Today they are inspecting Bushehr.”
Under the law that suspended cooperation, inspectors can only access Iranian nuclear sites with the approval of the country’s top security body, the Supreme National Security Council. Tehran has repeatedly stated that future cooperation with the agency will take on “a new form.” The spokesman for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, Behrouz Kamalvandi, said the IAEA inspectors would oversee the replacement of fuel at the Bushehr nuclear power plant. He did not specify whether inspectors would be granted access to other sites, including Fordo and Natanz, which were hit during the war.
‘A La Carte’ Inspections
During a visit to Washington, Grossi said that discussions about inspecting other sites were underway, but no immediate agreement had been reached. “We are continuing the conversation so that we can go to all places, including the facilities that have been impacted,” he said. He emphasized that Iran cannot restrict inspectors only to “non-attacked facilities,” stating, “There is no such thing as a la carte inspection work.”
The return of inspectors came after Iranian diplomats held talks with their counterparts from Britain, France, and Germany in Geneva on Tuesday. This second round of talks since the Israeli attacks included discussions on European threats to trigger the re-imposition of UN sanctions against Iran before they are permanently lifted in mid-October. The window for triggering the “snapback mechanism” of the moribund 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers closes on October 18.
According to a Financial Times report, during their previous meeting in July, the three European powers suggested extending the snapback deadline if Tehran resumed negotiations with the U.S. and cooperation with the IAEA. Iran later rejected the Europeans’ right to extend the deadline, stating it was working with allies, China and Russia, to prevent sanctions from being re-imposed.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Karim Gharibabadi warned that if the snapback is triggered, “the path of interaction that we have now opened with the International Atomic Energy Agency will also be completely affected and will probably stop.”
Russia, according to a draft text seen by AFP, circulated a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday aimed at pushing back the deadline for triggering snapback sanctions by six months. The Russian proposal does not set preconditions for the deadline extension. Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said the updated proposal was designed to “give more breathing space for diplomacy,” and expressed hope that it “will be acceptable.” He told the media, “It will be a kind of litmus test for those who really want to uphold diplomatic efforts, and for those who don’t want any diplomatic solution, but just want to pursue their own nationalist, selfish agendas against Iran.”
