IAEA Withdraws Inspectors from Iran Amid Escalating Nuclear Crisis

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on Friday that it has withdrawn its remaining inspectors from Iran, citing unresolved tensions and restricted access to nuclear facilities damaged in recent military strikes by the United States and Israel.

The move marks a dramatic escalation in the already fragile standoff between Tehran and the West, following a 12-day conflict that began with Israel’s surprise airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites three weeks ago.

“The last group of our inspectors has safely departed Iran and is en route to the agency's headquarters in Vienna,” the IAEA said in a brief statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). The inspectors had remained in Tehran during the height of hostilities, which erupted on June 13.

Since the attacks, which targeted key nuclear sites including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, the IAEA has been denied access to inspect the damage or monitor Iran’s nuclear activities. Although Iran has not officially suspended cooperation with the agency, the Iranian parliament passed legislation last week that effectively halts such collaboration until authorities verify the safety and security of the country’s nuclear infrastructure.

The IAEA’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, has described restoring inspector access as a “top priority,” but acknowledged that the agency has faced increasing difficulties on the ground. Diplomats close to the matter say the number of inspectors in Iran has dwindled significantly since the war began, and concerns about their safety have grown amid mounting anti-IAEA rhetoric from Iranian officials and state media.

Iranian leaders have accused the agency of “laying the groundwork” for foreign military action, pointing to a sharply critical IAEA report issued on May 31, which concluded that Iran was in violation of key non-proliferation commitments. That report, endorsed by the IAEA Board of Governors, was followed by a resolution condemning Tehran's lack of transparency.

In response to those accusations, Grossi defended the report, insisting it was based on factual assessments and denied that it served as a pretext for military intervention. “We stand by our findings,” Grossi said. “The agency does not facilitate or justify the use of force. Our role is strictly technical and impartial.”

Tensions reached a boiling point after the U.S. joined the offensive on June 21, launching coordinated strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites alongside Israel. In addition to infrastructure damage, several high-ranking Iranian nuclear scientists were assassinated in targeted operations, reportedly attributed to Israeli intelligence.

With diplomatic channels frozen and IAEA oversight suspended, nuclear proliferation experts are warning of an increasingly opaque and volatile situation. “The absence of inspectors on the ground makes it nearly impossible to verify what Iran is doing with its nuclear material,” one Western diplomat told [News Organization]. “This is an extremely dangerous moment for global nuclear stability.”

The latest developments raise urgent questions about the future of nuclear diplomacy with Iran, particularly in light of Tehran’s recent statements asserting its right to continue uranium enrichment. While Iranian officials have expressed openness to renewed negotiations, they have made clear that any talks must exclude the threat of military action.

As of now, the IAEA has given no timeline for when inspectors might return to Iran, and with mutual distrust deepening, prospects for de-escalation remain uncertain.