Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), stated that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot request inspections of nuclear sites that came under military attack until specific rules and protocols for inspecting such facilities are drafted and approved.
Speaking to IRNA on Wednesday, August 26, regarding recent interactions between Iran and the IAEA and allegations of unannounced activities at facilities such as “Kuh-e Kolang,” Eslami said: “Until rules and protocols for inspecting sites that have been subjected to military attack are drafted, approved, and notified, the Agency cannot claim a right to conduct inspections.”
He added that all Iranian nuclear facilities targeted in the strikes were registered with the IAEA before the attacks and had been under continuous inspection.
The AEOI chief noted that while the Agency may currently inspect unattacked facilities based on safeguards regulations, the “law passed by Parliament” remains the sole criterion for damaged sites.
According to Eslami, the IAEA must first clarify the exact protocol governing inspections of attacked nuclear centers and define how the security status of these facilities will be evaluated.
