Iran on Saturday announced it will ban the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, from entering the country and will no longer permit the installation of surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities.
The announcement was made by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who told state media IRNA that Iran would not compromise on its sovereignty and national security.
“We will not allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to install cameras at our nuclear sites, and the agency's chief will be banned from entering the country,” Araghchi declared.
This latest development comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog, following a 12-day military conflict with Israel that began on June 13. The clashes were sparked by Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military, nuclear, and civilian sites, which, according to Iran’s Health Ministry, killed at least 606 people and injured over 5,300.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israeli territory, killing 29 people and wounding more than 3,400, according to figures from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The confrontation was eventually brought to a halt through a US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on June 24.
In the wake of the violence, Iran’s parliament passed legislation on Wednesday suspending cooperation with the IAEA, effectively pulling back from previous commitments on transparency and monitoring.
