Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the Iranian parliament’s move to suspend cooperation with the nuclear watchdog is concerning, but attributed it to Israel’s “unprovoked attack” on Iran’s nuclear facilities, reports Al Jazeera.
In comments carried by Russia’s state-owned RIA Novosti news agency, Peskov claimed the IAEA’s reputation has suffered serious damage to those attacks.
Peskov also said that Russia thinks it’s too early for anyone to have a realistic picture of the damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear facilities by US airstrikes.
He was responding to a question about damage assessments offered by President Donald Trump, who has suggested that the US attack obliterated Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Russia had indications that Washington and Tehran had open communications channels though, he said, and Moscow was closely monitoring developments and still talking to Iran itself.
Meanwhile, the head of the UN nuclear agency International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, says his inspectors’ top priority is returning to Iran’s nuclear facilities to assess the impact of recent military strikes on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Grossi called for a long-term solution to the Iranian nuclear program, and that the agency’s reports indicate that Israel’s 12 day war and US strikes only set it back by a matter of months.
On the other hand, Iran’s Parliament has approved a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, according to Iranian state media.
The bill, passed with 222 votes in favor, none against, and one abstention, also prohibits IAEA inspectors from entering Iranian nuclear facilities unless their security is guaranteed.
The move signals growing tensions between Iran and international nuclear watchdogs following recent regional escalations.
The legislation is seen as Tehran’s response to what it perceives as increasing threats to its nuclear infrastructure.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
