Iran has formally severed ties with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following a United States-Israeli bombing campaign targeting its nuclear facilities, marking an escalation in the nuclear standoff that threatens to unravel years of diplomatic efforts.
President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the suspension law on Wednesday, implementing parliament-approved legislation that blocks IAEA inspectors from accessing Iranian nuclear sites without approval from Tehran's Supreme National Security Council.
The move comes as Iran's foreign minister dismissed the prospects of swift diplomatic talks with Washington following recent military strikes.
Diplomatic doors stay open
However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi did signal Tehran's continued openness to negotiations in his first interview with American media since the bombings.
In an interview with CBS News, Araghchi insisted that "the doors of diplomacy will never slam shut," - though he poured cold water on U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that talks could resume “as early as this week”.
"I don't think negotiations will restart as quickly as that," Araghchi told CBS.
"In order for us to decide to re-engage, we will have to first ensure that America will not revert back to targeting us in a military attack during the negotiations."
The foreign minister's comments reflect Iran's wariness following what Tehran views as a betrayal of diplomatic trust, with Israeli strikes beginning just days before scheduled nuclear negotiations with American officials.
Washington responded swiftly to Iran's IAEA suspension, with State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce calling the decision "unacceptable" and demanding Tehran “cooperate fully without further delay”.
Bruce emphasised that Iran "has a window of opportunity to reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity."
The suspension effectively blindfolds international monitors at a critical juncture when satellite imagery shows ongoing activity at damaged nuclear sites, including excavation equipment and cranes at the heavily bombed Fordow facility.
Nuclear knowledge survives?
Despite Trump's claim that US strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, Araghchi dismissed such assertions as wishful thinking.
"One cannot obliterate the technology and science for enrichment through bombings," he told CBS, adding that Iran could "expeditiously repair the damages and make up for the lost time" if it chose to do so.
The foreign minister's defiant tone suggests Iran's nuclear ambitions remain intact despite the physical destruction of key facilities.
Before the strikes, Iran had been enriching uranium to 60% purity - a short step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.
EU concern
Germany condemned Iran's IAEA suspension as sending a "disastrous signal", with foreign ministry spokesman Martin Giese warning that cooperation with the nuclear watchdog was “essential for a diplomatic solution”.
UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric called Iran's decision 'concerning' at a press briefing on Wednesday, reiteating Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' calls for Iran to cooperate with the IAEA.
The suspension caps months of deteriorating relations between Iran and the IAEA, with Tehran accusing the agency of bias and providing intelligence that facilitated Israeli targeting of nuclear facilities.
Iran has also rejected IAEA chief Rafael Grossi's request to visit bombed sites, with officials suggesting he is no longer welcome in the country.
As nuclear diplomacy enters uncharted territory, both sides appear to be calculating whether military pressure or patient diplomacy will ultimately shape Iran's nuclear trajectory.
With monitoring suspended and facilities potentially being rebuilt in secret, the international community faces diminished visibility into Iran's nuclear activities at precisely the moment when oversight is most crucial.
