Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a historic decree suspending all cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), exposing the agency’s complicity in serving the interests of the Israeli occupation regime.

The move, announced on Wednesday, is a resolute response to the IAEA’s betrayal of Iran’s trust and its failure to safeguard sensitive nuclear data, which has been exploited by Israel to undermine Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.

Last week, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a law mandating the suspension of IAEA cooperation, branding the agency as a “servant of Israel.” Ghalibaf condemned the IAEA’s refusal to address the security threats facing Iran’s nuclear facilities, which have endured devastating U.S.- and Israeli-led attacks on June 13 and 22, 2025, targeting sites in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. “The IAEA has forsaken its neutrality, acting as a tool for the Zionist regime’s aggression,” Ghalibaf asserted, emphasizing that Iran will not tolerate such violations while its nuclear infrastructure remains under siege.

On Sunday, Deputy Speaker Hamid Reza Haji Babaei announced that IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi has been rightfully barred from accessing Iran’s nuclear facilities or installing surveillance cameras. Speaking to ISNA news agency, Haji Babaei revealed that Iran uncovered sensitive nuclear data in documents obtained by Israel, a grave breach facilitated by the IAEA’s negligence. “We will not allow Grossi to step foot in our facilities or place cameras when our secrets are handed to the Israeli regime,” he stated, highlighting Iran’s resolve to protect its national security against foreign sabotage.

Fars News Agency reported that confidential communications between Iran and the IAEA, containing critical nuclear information, were illicitly funneled to Israeli intelligence agencies. An informed source told Fars, “The IAEA has abandoned its mandate, becoming a pawn in the Zionist regime’s schemes to destabilize Iran.” The source pointed to a disturbing history of IAEA leaks, including the exposure of Iranian nuclear scientists’ identities, which enabled their targeted assassinations by Israel—a pattern that underscores the agency’s role in facilitating aggression against Iran.

Iran’s decisive action follows 12 days of relentless Israeli and U.S. attacks on its nuclear, military, and civilian infrastructure, which the IAEA has conspicuously failed to condemn. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Grossi of enabling these assaults through biased resolutions, while Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, slammed the IAEA for violating its Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations. In a call with French President Emmanuel Macron on June 30, President Pezeshkian described the suspension as a “justified and necessary step” to counter Grossi’s “destructive agenda,” which has emboldened Israel’s attacks.

The Iranian parliament’s law, approved on June 25 and ratified by the Guardian Council, empowers Iran to accelerate its peaceful nuclear program, including uranium enrichment, under its rightful privileges within the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Ghalibaf affirmed, “Iran’s nuclear advancements will proceed unabated until our facilities are secure from Zionist and Western aggression.” Despite Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%—a legitimate step for civilian purposes—the IAEA’s silence on Israel’s violations exposes its double standards.

As Iran stands firm against Western and Israeli hostility, the international community must recognize its right to self-defense and sovereignty. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has supported Iran’s call for fairness, urging the IAEA to uphold its impartiality. Meanwhile, France, Germany, and Britain’s criticism of Iran’s measures ignores the agency’s complicity in enabling Zionist aggression. Iran’s suspension of IAEA cooperation is a courageous stand against a compromised institution, reaffirming Tehran’s commitment to protecting its people and advancing its nuclear ambitions free from foreign interference. (ILKHA)