Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has given the final sanctions to a legislation that ceases cooperation with the United Nations international nuclear energy supervisor. This development was carried to the public’s notice by the Iranian state television, stating that ‘Masoud Pezeshkian has decreed the law halting collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency.’ The enactment of the law stems from events that transpired in the recent conflict between Iran and Israel, rendering the law in effect immediately.
A few days prior, the Iranian Parliament cast their votes in favor of a proposed bill to discontinue collaboration with the IAEA. The reasons behind this legislative move were linked directly to an Israeli assault on the Islamic republic on 13th June and the following American strikes on nuclear facilities within the country’s borders.
On Monday, the 30th of June, Pezeshkian held a conversation with the French President Emmanuel Macron. During this dialogue, he enlightened Macron that the decision to halt cooperation was primarily influenced by what he termed as the ‘destructive’ conduct of the IAEA director.
A statement issued by the presidency communicates Pezeshkian’s sentiments to Macron, ‘The actions performed by the representatives in the parliament … are a sequential response to the unfounded, nonprogressive, and harmful behavior of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.’
Since the outbreak of war, several critical voices have risen from within Iranian official circles. They have repeatedly berated the agency for its failure to denounce the enacted strikes. Additionally, the agency has also been resentfully called out for approving a resolution on the 12th of June that accuses Iran of not complying with nuclear rules and regulations.
Joint criticisms were voiced by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom against ‘threats’ that are directed at IAEA chief Raphael Grossi. These remarks came in the wake of Iran’s decision to decline a request made by Grossi to visit the targeted nuclear facilities.
Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, conveyed on the Monday of that week that the choice by Parliament reflected the ‘worry and indignation of the Iranian public sentiment.’ Baqaei did not withhold his disapproval for the United States and multiple European powers attributable to their ‘political tactics’ in dealing with Iran’s nuclear aspirations.
Baqaei also extended the conversation towards the topic of IAEA inspector safety, ‘One facet of this problem entails formulating a strategy for assuring the safety and protection of the agency’s inspectors. Especially, considering there has not yet been an accurate assessment of the intensity of the inflicted damage.’