Rafael Grossi (AP)
UN nuclear inspectors have resumed limited work in Iran, visiting the Bushehr nuclear facility for the first time since Tehran suspended cooperation with the international atomic energy agency (IAEA) in June. The visit, confirmed on Wednesday by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, marks a partial resumption of inspections but falls short of full access across Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, reported news agency AFP”Today they are inspecting Bushehr,” Grossi said, as quoted by AFP. However, he cautioned that broader site access, including to facilities targeted in June airstrikes, remains unresolved.Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told state television that “no final text has yet been approved on the new cooperation framework with the IAEA and views are being exchanged,” as quoted by the agency.Inspectors had withdrawn from Iran following joint strikes by Israel and the United States on June 13, which targeted key nuclear and military facilities and reportedly killed over 1,000 people. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks, and a ceasefire has been in place since June 24.Under Iran’s law limiting nuclear oversight, IAEA inspectors may only access sites with approval from the supreme national security council. For now, Iran says its cooperation will take “a new form,” with inspections restricted to specific tasks—such as overseeing fuel replacement at Bushehr, according to Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.Grossi, currently visiting Washington, said Iran must allow access to all sites, including those hit during the attacks. “There is no such thing as a la carte inspection work,” he noted, calling the ongoing discussions a “litmus test” of diplomatic intent.Meanwhile, Iran’s diplomats met representatives from Britain, France, and Germany in Geneva to discuss the potential triggering of UN “snapback” sanctions under the 2015 nuclear deal. The window to reimpose these sanctions closes on October 18.Iran has warned that if the snapback mechanism is activated, ongoing engagement with the IAEA could be fully halted. Deputy foreign minister Karim Gharibabadi said, “The path of interaction that we have now opened with the international atomic energy agency will also be completely affected and will probably stop.”Russia has introduced a draft UN resolution to delay the snapback deadline by six months, with Moscow calling it a test of countries’ willingness to pursue diplomacy.“This will be kind of a litmus test for those who really want to uphold diplomatic efforts,” said Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy.
