Iran's president issues order to suspend cooperation with IAEA

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an order to enact a law to suspend the country's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Tasnim news agency reported on Wednesday.

The law calls for a suspension of cooperation with the IAEA until Iran's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its nuclear facilities and scientists are fully guaranteed, said Constitutional Council Spokesman Hadi Tahan Nazif.

Pezeshkian issued the order on Tuesday in a letter to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Supreme National Security Council, said the report.

The law, passed by the Iranian parliament last Wednesday and approved by the Constitutional Council the following day, was enacted due to "the violation of Iran's national sovereignty by the United States and Israel, and their attacks on the country's territorial integrity as well as peaceful nuclear facilities," said Tahan Nazif.

The law stipulates that any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites by the IAEA needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council.

"We are aware of these reports. The IAEA is awaiting further official information from Iran," the IAEA said in a statement.

Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that the U.S. bombing of Iran's key Fordow nuclear site has "seriously and heavily damaged" the facility.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told a regular briefing that Iran must cooperate fully with the UN agency without further delay.

"We'll use the word unacceptable, that Iran chose to suspend cooperation with the IAEA at a time when it has a window of opportunity to reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity," she said.

Iran's top military commander on Wednesday said "if the enemy launches aggression against Iran again, Iran will respond with a more devastating response."

Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, made the remarks during a memorial event in Tehran to honor those killed in the latest Israel-Iran conflict.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf said Israel is completely dependent on the support of the United States and Western countries. "Without their support, Israel cannot survive," he said.

A UN spokesman on Wednesday said Iran's decision to suspend cooperation with the IAEA is concerning.

"We've seen the official decision, which is obviously concerning," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, when asked for Guterres' reaction to Tehran's announcement to suspend cooperation with the IAEA.

Dujarric said the secretary-general has been consistent in his call for Iran's cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog and for all countries' cooperation with the IAEA on nuclear issues.

On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on several areas in Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing senior commanders, nuclear scientists and many civilians. Iran responded with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel.

On June 22, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had carried out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. In response, Iran launched missile attacks on the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

After 12 days of fighting, a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was reached on June 24.

(With input from agencies)