ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERS
Updated:

Iran has halted collaborating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) "until the safety and security of our nuclear activities can be guaranteed," the country's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, posted on X/Twitter on Friday.

He also indicated that Tehran may reject any request by the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, for visits to Iranian nuclear sites.

The decision was made because the agency's Director-General, Rafael Grossi, had facilitated a resolution against the Islamic Republic by the IAEA's Board of Governors that was "politically motivated," Araghchi claimed.

The Islamic Republic official also added that the strikes on the country's nuclear facilities by US and Israeli forces also factored into the decision. Araghchi claimed that the strikes were "blatant violations of IAEA safeguards," and that Grossi failed to condemn them.

Grossi's wish to visit nuclear sites 'meaningless, malign' - Araghchi

Araghchi also claimed that Grossi's wish to visit the nuclear strikes that were struck is "meaningless and possibly even malign in intent." Grossi then emphasized the need for IAEA inspectors to continue their verification activities in Iran.

IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER Abbas Araghchi speaks on the phone during a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in Istanbul on Saturday. If Iran’s leadership believes it can’t prevail against Israel and the US, it will likely decide to negotiate, says the writer.
IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER Abbas Araghchi speaks on the phone during a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in Istanbul on Saturday. If Iran’s leadership believes it can’t prevail against Israel and the US, it will likely decide to negotiate, says the writer. (credit: UMIT BEKTAS/REUTERS)

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would like inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency or another respected source to be able to inspect Iran's nuclear sites after they were bombed last weekend.

Trump, at a White House news conference, also said he does not believe Iran wants to seek a nuclear weapon after the US and Israeli bombing raids. Soon after, Iran's parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the IAEA.

The day before Araghchi's IAEA announcement, he said on state TV that the Islamic Republic has no plans to meet with US officials, adding that Tehran is deliberating if it's in its interest to hold talks with the US again.

This statement came in contradiction to Trump saying that Washington and Tehran planned to hold talks next week. Despite Araghchi's statement, Trump then reiterated on Friday that Tehran wants to meet following US strikes on the facilities last weekend, but gave no further details.

The IAEA said the same day that radiation levels in the Gulf region remain normal following the 12-day conflict between Israel, the US, and the Islamic Republic.

Iran and the United States held five previous rounds of nuclear negotiations prior to the US and Israeli strikes on their nuclear facilities.