IAEA Chief Warns of Deteriorating Relations with Iran over Inspection Restrictions

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has urged Iran to enhance its cooperation with UN inspectors, warning that continued restrictions on inspection activities could heighten tensions with Western countries over its nuclear program.

Speaking from Vienna, Grossi said Iran must “seriously improve its cooperation with the Agency” after barring inspectors from accessing several key nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — sites previously targeted by U.S. cyberattacks and sanctions.

He noted that the Agency had conducted more than ten inspections in Iran since last June but had not yet been granted permission to enter some sensitive locations. Grossi added that IAEA inspectors observed movement near Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile in October, though no new enrichment activity was detected.

Grossi emphasized that the Agency is handling its “strained” relations with Tehran “with a degree of understanding,” but stressed that Iran must fully comply with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), stating:

“No party can claim to uphold the treaty while failing to meet its commitments.”

In response, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqaei said that Grossi “is well aware of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program,” warning against “making statements not based on facts.”

Tehran accused the IAEA of providing political cover for the recent Israeli airstrikes, which came shortly after the Agency’s Board of Governors voted on a resolution declaring Iran in violation of its international nuclear commitments.