TEHRAN – Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), assured reporters on Saturday that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will continue to have access to Iran’s nuclear facilities under the framework of the Safeguards Agreement and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 

“We operate within the framework of the Safeguards Agreement, adhering precisely to their regulations—nothing more, nothing less,” Eslami stated during the 25th International Research, Technology, and Tech-Market Exhibition in Tehran. 

The nuclear chief reiterated that Iran has "not created and will not create any obstacles for the IAEA's inspections and access." 

Commenting on Iran’s approval of tougher safeguards measures by the IAEA, including increased inspections at the Fordow uranium enrichment facility, Eslami noted, “Our [nuclear] capacity is increasing, and it’s only natural that the number of inspections should also increase.” 

Reuters reported on Friday that Iran has agreed to enhanced monitoring by the U.N. nuclear watchdog at its Fordow facility, where it claimed uranium enrichment "has approached weapons-grade levels." 

According to the news agency, the IAEA's confidential report noted that Iran will increase the frequency and intensity of safeguards measures at the site and is cooperating with the implementation of new enhanced protocols. 

Tehran recently decided to accelerate uranium enrichment and deploy new advanced centrifuges after a November anti-Iran IAEA resolution. 

The resolution, pushed by the U.S. and the European troika, accused Iran of non-cooperation under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear deal Washington officially left in 2018 and Europe began shunning the same year. 

The resolution demanded a comprehensive report on Iran’s nuclear activities by spring 2025. 

Following the censure, Iran significantly sped up its production of highly enriched uranium by increasing the enrichment level of uranium feedstock from 5% to 20% At its Fordow facility. Its highest uranium enrichment level at other facilities is 60%.

Tehran had offered to slow enrichment if the resolution was dropped.

West obstructing Iran-IAEA cooperation

During a phone call with IAEA’s Director-General Rafael Grossi this week, Iran’s foreign minister reiterated that the resolution Europe passed at the UN nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors in November prevented Grossi from harvesting the results of his earlier visit to Iran. 

“While we will not hesitate to retaliate, we are still prepared and willing to continue constructive cooperation with the IAEA within relevant technical frameworks.”

Meanwhile, the possibility of diplomatic progress on Iran's nuclear program continues to diminish as Europe seems poised to maintain its hostile stance towards Iran.  

Reuters reported Wednesday that Germany, France, and Britain have told the United Nations Security Council they are ready to “snap back” sanctions against Iran. 

The snapback mechanism outlined in UN Resolution 2231 permits permanent members of the Security Council and Germany to reinstate UN sanctions if Iran violates JCPOA obligations. 

The JCPOA signed by Iran and the P5+1 (the US, UK, France, Germany, China, and Russia) in 2015, sought to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the US withdrawal from the agreement in 2018 under President Trump reimposed sanctions, which European nations, despite remaining as official signatories to the deal, have been unable to mitigate. 

Washington no longer retains the authority to trigger the mechanism following its exit from the pact. Iran argues that European signatories to the deal also lack the moral and legal justice to activate snapback as they have too failed to uphold their commitments. 

Some Iranian officials have warned that if the E3 snap backs international sanctions, Tehran would consider leaving the NPT. 

Unveiling Indigenous innovations 

During the Saturday ceremony, Tehran showcased its technological prowess by unveiling a domestically-made high-power radio frequency generator. 

Produced by the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), the generator is essential for electron accelerators and meets critical needs in various sectors, including nuclear agriculture. 

Commenting on the country’s latest nuclear achievement, Eslami emphasized the AEOI’s goal of generating 20,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity by 2042, underscoring the high efficiency and recyclability of nuclear power plants. 

In recent years, Iran's nuclear industry has also expanded into pharmaceutical production, currently supplying 69 different specialized drugs, with research underway on an additional 20. These radiopharmaceuticals are particularly instrumental in cancer treatment.