Iran says nuclear cooperation with IAEA watchdog ‘obsolete' after sanctions snapback

Iran has announced that its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is “no longer relevant,” following the reinstatement of United Nations sanctions by Western powers.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the remarks on Sunday, saying the recent “Cairo agreement” between Tehran and the IAEA had effectively lost its value. The deal, signed just weeks earlier, was intended to restore inspections and monitoring after Iran suspended cooperation in June, citing Israeli and U.S. strikes on its nuclear infrastructure.
“The Cairo agreement is no longer relevant for our cooperation with the IAEA,” Araghchi told diplomats in Tehran. “The three European countries thought they had leverage in their hands, threatening to implement a snapback. Now they have used this lever and seen the results.”
Britain, France, and Germany—three key signatories to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—initiated the so-called “snapback mechanism” last week, accusing Iran of failing to uphold its nuclear commitments. The move automatically restored pre-2015 UN sanctions, including restrictions on arms sales, missile development, and nuclear-related activities. Tehran has flatly denied the allegations, arguing that it is the West, not Iran, that has violated the deal through sanctions and military provocations.
Araghchi warned that by resorting to the snapback option, the European powers had “diminished their role” in future diplomacy and “almost eliminated the justification for negotiations with them.” He stressed that any talks moving forward would involve a much smaller role for London, Paris, and Berlin, signaling that Tehran may instead look to Russia, China, or other regional players to shape the future of its nuclear program.
The collapse of the Cairo deal further complicates efforts to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions at a time of heightened Middle East tensions. Analysts warn that without IAEA monitoring, mistrust could deepen, leaving the international community with fewer tools to verify Iran’s nuclear activities and pushing the standoff closer to a diplomatic dead end.