Iran's nuclear chief has said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot request inspections of nuclear sites that were attacked during recent hostilities until specific rules and protocols for inspecting such facilities are drafted and approved.

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), told the Iranian news agency IRNA on Wednesday, August 26, that "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."

Eslami said the IAEA is "under pressure from Israel and the US, which are demanding inspections of our nuclear facilities to assess the damage caused," adding: "We are still in a state of war, and until the IAEA develops a protocol for inspecting sites that have come under attack, we cannot allow its specialists to access them."

Stance on inspections

Eslami emphasized that all Iranian nuclear facilities targeted in the strikes were registered with the IAEA before the attacks and had been under continuous inspection. He said that while the agency may inspect undamaged facilities under existing safeguards regulations, a "law passed by Parliament" remains the sole criterion for damaged sites.

He argued that 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. He also criticized the agency's performance, asserting that its refusal to condemn military attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities undermines its "competence and independence."

According to Eslami, the United States and Israel are pressuring the IAEA to compel visits to destroyed sites, with the claimed objective being to assess the extent of the damage inflicted during the strikes.

State of war and allegations

Eslami said the Islamic Republic still considers itself in a "state of war," adding that the security situation at the targeted facilities does not allow for the assumption that wartime conditions have ended. He also pointed to threats made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding potential strikes on the "Kuh-e Kolang-e Gezla" nuclear complex near Natanz as evidence that international bodies are "pawns" in the hands of the U.S. and Israel.

The remarks come amid recent interactions between Iran and the IAEA, including allegations of unannounced activities at facilities such as "Kuh-e Kolang."

Stockpile concerns

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi previously noted that Iran's enriched uranium stockpiles remained at the locations affected by the U.S. and Israeli strikes. Iran has not yet provided the IAEA with a report on the status of these stockpiles.

According to IAEA estimates before the 12-day war, Iran possessed approximately 408 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, an amount that, if enriched further, would suffice to produce roughly six nuclear weapons.

Background of the conflict

TASS reported that the United States and Israel went to war with Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, on July 8, the United States resumed large-scale strikes against Iran, accusing Tehran of violating agreements related to the Strait of Hormuz.

Among the Iranian nuclear facilities targeted by Israel and the United States was the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, built in cooperation with Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom.