Beril Canakci
25 June 2025•Update: 25 June 2025
ISTANBUL
The head of the UN nuclear watchdog in a statement on Tuesday urged the resumption of inspections in Iran, calling the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) verification work “indispensable” following US airstrikes that damaged several of Iran’s nuclear sites.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi welcomed US President Donald Trump's Israel-Iran ceasefire announcement.
“I welcome announcements on Iran situation. Resuming cooperation with IAEA is key to a successful agreement,” Grossi said on X, adding: “I’ve written to Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi stressing this step can lead to a diplomatic solution to the long-standing controversy over Iran's nuclear program and proposed to meet soon.”
His comments came after the US joined the armed conflict between Israel and Iran, striking three Iranian nuclear facilities with bunker-buster bombs on Sunday.
Grossi said IAEA inspectors remain in Iran and must be allowed to carry out their work, which includes verifying 400 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% purity.
“For that, we need a cessation of hostilities,” he said in a separate post on Sunday. “Any arrangement requires establishing the facts on the ground, which can be done only through IAEA inspections.”
In his Sunday posts, Grossi listed preliminary findings from the recent US strikes.
At the Fordo facility, craters were observed but underground damage remained unclear. At Isfahan, he said, additional buildings had been hit, including tunnel entrances and uranium conversion areas. The Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant was reportedly struck with ground-penetrating munitions.
Iran’s parliament passed a bill Wednesday to limit cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, according to the state-affiliated Nournews.
The legislation, which still requires approval from the unelected Guardian Council to become law, would make future inspections by the IAEA subject to authorization by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran on June 13, including military and nuclear facilities, alleging that Tehran was on the verge of producing a nuclear bomb, a claim vehemently denied by Iran.
While Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, the US joined the conflict by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday.
After 12 days of aerial combat between the two regional arch-foes, Trump on Monday announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran to end their conflict.
