Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered an immediate suspension of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on the country’s nuclear facilities. The move, announced Wednesday on state television, signals a sharp escalation in the standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.
The decision follows the passage of a parliamentary law mandating the government to halt cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog until “the security of nuclear facilities and scientists is guaranteed.” The bill has already cleared Iran’s Guardian Council and is believed to have the backing of the Supreme National Security Council, chaired by Pezeshkian himself.
While no timeline or operational specifics were disclosed, the suspension could further obstruct IAEA inspections of Iran’s uranium enrichment — which has reached 60% purity, just short of weapons-grade. It remains unclear how the IAEA will respond, and the agency has yet to issue a formal comment.
Despite the order, Iran has not withdrawn from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Experts had feared that Tehran might take the more drastic step of abandoning the NPT entirely and rapidly pursuing nuclear weapons. For now, the country appears to be using the suspension as a pressure tactic rather than a full break.
In a parallel development, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS News that while talks would not resume “as quickly” as U.S. President Donald Trump had claimed, “the doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.” The comment suggests Iran is leaving space for future negotiations even as it pushes back against military pressure.
Fallout from airstrikes
The suspension comes just days after joint Israeli and American strikes hit three of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear sites, including the fortified Fordo facility southwest of Tehran. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs and Maxar Technologies shows Iranian officials inspecting damage at Fordo, with trucks, cranes, and excavation equipment visible at the tunnel entrances.
The attacks — launched by Israel on June 13 and followed by U.S. strikes on June 22 — targeted Revolutionary Guard command centers, missile depots, and nuclear infrastructure. Iranian authorities claim the strikes killed 935 people, including women and children, although independent estimates from the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group place the toll at 1,190, with over 4,400 wounded.
Iran’s nuclear program has been under IAEA surveillance since the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which capped uranium enrichment at 3.67%. That deal collapsed in 2018 after President Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S., leading to a gradual escalation by Iran. Today, the country has accumulated enough fissile material to potentially build several nuclear warheads if it chose to proceed.
While Tehran insists its program remains peaceful, the IAEA and Western intelligence agencies have long believed Iran ran a structured weapons program up until 2003. The latest developments have cast renewed doubt on Iran’s nuclear intentions — and on whether diplomacy can still avert a broader regional conflict.
