IAEA Condemns Reported Harassment of Female Inspectors in Iran

The logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seen at their headquarters during a board of governors meeting, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, June 7, 2021. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
The logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seen at their headquarters during a board of governors meeting, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, June 7, 2021. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
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IAEA Condemns Reported Harassment of Female Inspectors in Iran

The logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seen at their headquarters during a board of governors meeting, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, June 7, 2021. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
The logo of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seen at their headquarters during a board of governors meeting, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, June 7, 2021. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

The UN nuclear watchdog on Wednesday condemned as "unacceptable" incidents involving its inspectors in Iran following a news report that Iranian guards had harassed female agency staff.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that guards at Iran's main nuclear facility, Natanz, physically harassed female International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors in several incidents since early June.

The incidents allegedly included inappropriate touching and orders to remove clothing, the report said, citing diplomats.

The United States condemned the incidents.

"Harassment of IAEA inspectors is absolutely unacceptable and any repeat of such conduct would be of serious concern," said US Charge d'Affaires Louis L Bono.

"The safety and well-being of IAEA inspectors must be one of this Board’s highest priorities."

Asked to comment on the report, the IAEA noted in a statement "some incidents related to security checks of agency inspectors at one Iranian facility" in recent months.

"The agency immediately and firmly raised this issue with Iran to explain in very clear and unequivocal terms that such security-related incidents involving agency staff are unacceptable and must not happen again," it added.
The statement said there had been no further incidents after the IAEA and Iran exchanged messages on this matter.

"Security measures at the nuclear facilities in Iran are, reasonably, tightened" Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, wrote on Twitter late Tuesday.

"The IAEA inspectors have gradually come up with the new rules and regulations."

The Natanz nuclear facility was hit by an explosion in April, which Tehran has branded an act of sabotage.



Israel Tells Worried Members of Iran’s Security Services to Contact Mossad

 Huge smoke rises up from an oil facility facility after it appeared to have been hit by an Israeli strike Saturday, in southern Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP)
Huge smoke rises up from an oil facility facility after it appeared to have been hit by an Israeli strike Saturday, in southern Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP)
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Israel Tells Worried Members of Iran’s Security Services to Contact Mossad

 Huge smoke rises up from an oil facility facility after it appeared to have been hit by an Israeli strike Saturday, in southern Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP)
Huge smoke rises up from an oil facility facility after it appeared to have been hit by an Israeli strike Saturday, in southern Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 15, 2025. (AP)

The Israeli military is urging members of the Iranian security services to contact Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, claiming they had been receiving messages from officials worried about Iran’s “uncertain future.”

There was no immediate way to independently verify the claim.

In a post on the social platform X in Farsi, the Israeli military provided a website and urged users to employ a virtual private network before attempting contact.

“Even those who identify themselves as members of the regime’s security institutions express their fear, despair, and anger at what is happening in Iran and ask us to contact Israeli authorities - so that Iran does not suffer the same fate as Lebanon and Gaza,” the message added.

The message did not elaborate. However, it comes as Iran is in a frenzy over spies, prompting warnings to officials to abandon certain devices, apps and web services.

The internet was down in Iran late Wednesday afternoon. Authorities offered no immediate explanation.