The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has withdrawn its team from Iran. Tehran, following a 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States, has decided to cease all cooperation with the agency. The IAEA informed via its X handle that its staff has returned to the headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
In a further post, the IAEA Director Rafael Grossi reiterated the importance of dialogue with Iran to restart monitoring and verification of its nuclear program. The exact number of IAEA personnel who left Iran remains unclear. The team was stationed in Tehran during the recent conflict between Israel and Iran. The UN cited increasing tensions with Tehran as a reason to recall the IAEA team for safety concerns.
Also read: Has Iran Cleared the Path to Build Nuclear Weapons? What Does Parting from the IAEA Mean?
The conflict commenced on June 13, when Israel targeted Iranian military and nuclear sites. The Israeli strike resulted in the deaths of several senior Iranian military commanders, top nuclear scientists, and many civilians. In retaliation, Iran launched missile attacks on Israeli cities, resulting in significant casualties and damage. The United States later joined this conflict, employing bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear establishments.
American President Donald Trump claimed that the airstrikes had substantially damaged Iran's nuclear program. Post the Israeli and American airstrikes on Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, concerns of radiation leaks arose. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) clarified that no evidence of radiation leakage was found at any of these nuclear sites. Iran stated its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) but expressed growing distrust towards the IAEA.
