TEHRAN — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has officially implemented a new law that limits the country’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to reports by Iranian state media on Wednesday. The legislation, passed by parliament last week, marks a significant escalation in Tehran’s ongoing dispute with the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
Under the new law, any future inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities by IAEA inspectors will require prior approval from the country’s Supreme National Security Council. This move follows accusations from Iranian officials that the IAEA is biased toward Western nations and has indirectly supported Israeli military actions.
Tensions escalated after the IAEA’s board of governors voted to declare Iran in breach of its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran responded by warning it would suspend cooperation with the agency, citing the board’s decision as justification for Israeli air strikes launched shortly after the vote.
In a separate development, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told CBS News that a United States airstrike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility had caused what he described as “serious and heavy” damage. The Fordow site is one of Iran’s key nuclear installations, and any significant harm to the facility is likely to further strain already fragile regional dynamics.
The implementation of the law is expected to raise international concerns about the transparency of Iran’s nuclear program and could hinder diplomatic efforts aimed at reviving stalled nuclear negotiations.