Iran Freezes Nuclear Watchdog Deal after Western Backslide

By Staff, Agencies

Iran has announced the suspension of its cooperation under the Cairo agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA], Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with state television.

While emphasizing that the move is not a complete severance, Araghchi clarified that cooperation has been “temporarily put on hold”.

The Cairo agreement, signed in September, was meant to restore IAEA inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities—halted after “Israeli” and US airstrikes in June. However, the deal quickly lost meaning when Britain, France and Germany invoked the snapback mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran.

On Saturday, Araghchi said Iran remains open to reinstating the agreement “if fair proposals are presented in a way that safeguards the rights of the Iranian nation”. He added that Tehran currently sees “no basis for negotiations with the Europeans,” underscoring that Britain, France and Germany have undermined trust through hostile measures.

Western states have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons—claims Tehran categorically rejects. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is entirely civilian and that uranium enrichment is its sovereign right under the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration attempted to revive nuclear talks with Tehran, but the effort collapsed following “Israeli” strikes in June that targeted Iranian nuclear, military and residential sites.