Iran said on Friday it will respond to the latest resolution by the UN nuclear watchdog’s board, calling it a political misuse of the agency and saying the vote has invalidated an inspection accord reached in Cairo.
The Foreign Ministry said the measure, backed by the United States and three European powers, has further undermined the credibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran informed the Agency in an official letter that the understanding reached in Cairo in September is now considered void. “The so-called Cairo accord, which had been achieved through lengthy negotiations and Iran’s goodwill, is no longer valid,” he told state media.
Baghaei said the resolution showed “a clear misuse of an international body to advance the interests of the United States and three European countries.” He said Tehran will take reciprocal measures but did not give details.
In a separate statement early Friday, the Foreign Ministry described the IAEA Board of Governors’ resolution as “illegal and unjustified.” It said the measure was imposed under US and European pressure and “represents another example of their irresponsible behavior and misuse of the Agency to apply political pressure on Iran.”
The statement said the resolution violated the fundamental principles of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which guarantees every member’s right to peaceful nuclear energy. It also said the board has “no legal authority” to revive Security Council resolutions that have already expired.
According to the ministry, “The United States and three European countries ignored Iran’s responsible and good-faith conduct, disrupting the positive path that had emerged between Iran and the Agency, and forced Iran to declare the termination of the September 9 understanding.”
The statement added that under that understanding, Iran and the Agency had resumed cooperation and allowed limited inspections of some nuclear facilities.
The IAEA Board of Governors on Thursday adopted a Western-backed resolution urging Iran to grant full access and information about its nuclear program. Diplomats said the measure passed with 19 votes in favor, three against and 12 abstentions. Russia, China and Niger voted against it.
The resolution calls on Iran to allow the Agency to verify its stock of enriched uranium and inspect atomic sites damaged by US and Israeli airstrikes in June. It also asks Iran to provide “without delay” data on nuclear material and safeguarded facilities.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday the resolution effectively nullified the Cairo accord, an interim deal reached with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and Egyptian mediation. The agreement had aimed to restore limited inspections at facilities hit during the June conflict.
Iran links dispute to June attacks
Tehran says the IAEA resolution ignores what it calls the illegal US and Israeli attacks on its nuclear sites, which killed scientists and halted inspections. “Neither in the resolution nor in the statements of the United States and the three European countries is there any mention of those attacks,” Baghaei said.
Iranian officials have said the attacks caused a sharp drop in cooperation with the Agency because of safety concerns and political mistrust. Araghchi said this week that Tehran continues cooperation under the Non-Proliferation Treaty for facilities such as the Bushehr power plant but will not allow inspections at bombed sites.
‘West seeks dictation, not negotiation’
Araghchi said in a separate interview that Washington and its allies are seeking to impose demands rather than hold genuine talks. “They want us to accept zero enrichment and limits on our defense capabilities,” he said. “This is not negotiation. This is dictation.”
He said the United States has offered to close the Security Council file on Iran if Tehran accepts “unacceptable” conditions. “After the war they could not achieve their goals through force. Now they want to achieve them through pressure and so-called negotiation,” he said.
Baghaei said the new resolution will make it harder for the Agency and Iran to work together. “By disregarding Iran’s goodwill and cooperation, these countries have damaged the Agency’s credibility and independence,” he said.
