UN Nuclear Inspectors Arrive In Iran, Tehran Says Not Full Resumption Of Cooperation

Last Updated:August 27, 2025, 23:39 IST

IAEA nuclear inspectors arrived at the Iranian site of Bushehr, which was spared in the Israeli strikes in June. Iran had earlier suspended cooperation with the IAEA.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. (AFP Image)

UN nuclear inspectors arrived and began work at the key Iranian site of Bushehr on Wednesday, according to the chief of the Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), after Tehran agreed to limited cooperation in the wake of Israeli and US strikes in June.

“They are there now," IAEA director general Rafael Grossi told reporters in Washington. “Today they are inspecting Bushehr."

Grossi said discussions about inspecting other sites were underway with no immediate agreement. “We are continuing the conversation so that we can go to all places, including the facilities that have been impacted," he added, asserting that Iran cannot restrict inspectors only to “non-attacked facilities".

Earlier, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation said IAEA inspectors would oversee the replacement of fuel at the Bushehr, a major nuclear power site in southwestern Iran that was spared in the Israeli military campaign in June. It did not talk about inspectors being allowed to sites like Fordow and Natanz, which were hit by US strikes.

‘Not Full Resumption Of Cooperation’

However, Iran maintained on Wednesday that the return of UN nuclear inspectors did not indicate a full resumption of cooperation, which was suspended after the US and Israeli attacks. “No final text has yet been approved on the new cooperation framework with the IAEA and views are being exchanged," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated following a June 13 Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear and military sites, which Tel Aviv said was aimed at halting nuclear weapons development — a claim Iran denies, killing over 1,000 people. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli territory, killing dozens of people.

The conflict escalated further when the US launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22. President Donald Trump, addressing the strikes, claimed the US had “obliterated" the sites. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel was announced on June 23, ending a 12-day escalation.

Iran subsequently suspended its cooperation with the IAEA, citing the agency’s failure to condemn the Israeli and US attacks. Under the law suspending cooperation, inspectors may access Iranian nuclear sites only with the approval of the country’s top security body, the Supreme Security Council.

The return of inspectors came after Iranian diplomats held talks with counterparts from Britain, France and Germany in Geneva on Tuesday. This came following warnings by the three European nations that failure to resume talks would bring back international sanctions to Iran via the so-called “snapback mechanism" of the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran later dismissed the Europeans’ right to extend the deadline, and said it was working with its allies China and Russia to prevent the reimposition of sanctions.

Iran had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels as part of its nuclear programme and was reportedly close to obtaining a nuclear weapon before the Israeli strikes.

(with inputs from AFP)

Tehran, Iran

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