Iran announced it will deny entry to IAEA head Rafael Mariano Grossi and will no longer permit surveillance cameras at its nuclear facilities.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the announcement, telling state media IRNA that Iran would not compromise its national security and sovereignty.
“The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency will not be permitted to enter the country, and we will not permit the agency to place cameras at our nuclear sites,” Araghchi said.
This most recent development follows a 12-day military confrontation with Israel that started on June 13 and comes amid increased tensions between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog.
Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military, nuclear, and civilian targets set off the clashes, killing at least 606 people and injuring over 5,300 more, according to Iran’s Health Ministry.
According to data from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 29 people were killed and over 3,400 were injured when Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israeli territory in retaliation. Ultimately, a ceasefire mediated by the United States ended the conflict on June 24.
Iran’s parliament enacted legislation on Wednesday suspending cooperation with the IAEA in the wake of the violence, essentially reversing earlier pledges on transparency and monitoring.
