TEHRAN, Iran
The head of Iran’s nuclear agency on Wednesday rejected inspections of the country’s bombed nuclear facilities, calling on the UN nuclear watchdog to “define post-war conditions” before any such access is granted.
Speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Mohammad Eslami said Iran will not allow inspections of nuclear sites bombed by the US in June until the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) defines a clear framework for inspecting those facilities.
He said that if post-war conditions are defined, the UN nuclear agency should formally announce them so Iran can act accordingly and permit inspections of the sites.
“If they are not defined, our request – which we have formally communicated to them – is that it must be specified, defined, and codified what actions should be taken if a nuclear industry that is registered with and under the oversight of the Agency is subjected to a military attack,” Eslami noted.
During a 12-day war with Israel, the US military targeted three major Iranian nuclear facilities – Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan – using bunker-buster bombs in an operation codenamed “Operation Midnight Hammer.”
The strikes came more than a week after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, killing senior military commanders and nuclear scientists and also targeting some nuclear sites.
Following the attacks, Iran expelled IAEA inspectors stationed in the country, arguing that the agency failed to condemn the strikes on its nuclear facilities.
Days before the attack, which led to a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two arch-foes, the IAEA Board of Governors had adopted a strongly-worded resolution accusing Iran of non-compliance with its commitments.
Eslami said that if the UN nuclear watchdog supports military action, it should explicitly state that attacks on safeguarded nuclear facilities are permitted.
“But if such attacks are not permitted, they must be condemned – and once condemned, it must be clarified what the post-war conditions are,” he said.
Until then, he added, “political and psychological pressure” to demand inspections of bombed sites would not be accepted.
- Non-legal
The Iranian official also criticized Tuesday’s UN Security Council meeting on nuclear non-proliferation, during which council members appeared divided over Iran’s nuclear activities.
A central point of contention was the legality of Security Council meetings related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal.
Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir-Saeid Iravani, insisted that Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA, expired on Oct. 18, 2025, and had therefore “ceased to have any legal effect or operative mandate.” His position was echoed by the representatives of Russia and China.
The envoy, however, said Iran remains “committed to principled diplomacy and genuine negotiations,” adding that the responsibility now lies with France, Britain, and the US “to reverse course and take concrete, credible steps to restore trust and confidence.”
In response, US representative Morgan Ortagus said Washington is “available for formal talks with Iran but only if Tehran is prepared for direct and meaningful dialogue.”
“We have been clear, however, about certain expectations for any arrangement. Foremost, there can be no enrichment inside of Iran, and that remains our principle,” she said.
Eslami said the statements and references made at Tuesday’s Security Council meeting were “completely unprofessional and non-legal,” reiterating that Resolution 2231 has expired.
Before the June war, Iran and the US held five rounds of indirect nuclear negotiations, mediated by Oman, without any significant breakthrough.