TEHRAN – Iran’s foreign minister says the presence of inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is ruled by Iranian Parliament’s legislation.

Abbas Araghchi made the comment in a meeting with members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of Iranian Parliament when he was asked why IAEA inspectors had been allowed to visit Iran.

“Under the law, any demand for access to nuclear sites must be referred to [Iran’s] Supreme National Security Council. Accordingly, permission may be granted or not,” the top diplomat explained.

In this visit, he added, the inspectors were only allowed access to the Bushehr nuclear powerplant to inspect the process of fuel replacement as well as the Tehran Research Nuclear Reactor, which runs on 20-percent-ennriched fuel and is involved in the process of radiomedicine production.

The IAEA pulled its inspectors out of Iran after Tehran suspended its cooperation with the UN nuclear agency.

On July 2, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian gave the final approval to a resolution that suspended cooperation with the IAEA.

The rationale for Iran’s move was the IAEA's politically-motivated resolution which paved the way for the US-Israeli acts of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

The resolution was approved during an open session of Iran’s Parliament on June 25.

Under the resolution, IAEA inspectors would not be permitted to enter Iran unless the security of the country's nuclear facilities and that of peaceful nuclear activities were guaranteed, which is subject to the approval of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

In an unprovoked, brazen act of aggression on June 13, Israel targeted Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists who had previously been placed on sanctions lists based on IAEA reports. Israel also killed civilians.

On June 22, the US military bombed Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan nuclear sites in violation of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi remained silent. He did not condemn the acts of aggression, drawing criticisms from Iranian officials.

Later, the agency called for the resumption of its monitoring and verification activities in Iran.

Foreign ministry’s agenda is to neutralize and circumvent sanctions: Araghchi

Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign minister also said in his meeting with parliamentarians that among items on his ministry’s agenda is to neutralize and circumvent sanctions.

He reiterated Tehran has not withdrawn from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as the agreement recognizes Iran’s entitlement to uranium enrichment, the deal is recognized by the UN Security Council and some of its provisions are in the country’s interests.

The UK, France, and Germany triggered the snapback on August 28, setting in motion a 30 day process to restore all UN sanctions on Iran.

Despite last minute efforts by Russia and China to preserve diplomacy, the UN Security Council failed to reach consensus on September 26. Two days later, the E3 and the United States declared the sanctions reinstated and urged UN member states to enforce them.

Tehran has categorically rejected the claim, insisting that it was the United States and its European allies who undermined the 2015 nuclear deal by failing to honor their commitments.

Iranian officials maintain that no UN member state is obliged to comply with the unilateral and unlawful measure.

Iran’s position is anchored in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreement and formally lifted earlier sanctions on Tehran’s nuclear program. 

Russia has categorically rejected the reinstatement of sanctions on Iran, asserting that the snapback mechanism was being misapplied. Moscow has warned that the resolution could prove counterproductive.

China has echoed Moscow’s stance on the controversial and politically driven measure by the European troika, stressing that unilateral actions undermine multilateral diplomacy.