The EU on Thursday called on Iran to immediately return to the full implementation of its obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and to fully cooperate with the UN atomic watchdog by allowing inspections to resume in all its nuclear facilities.
In a statement delivered in Vienna at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting, France, Germany and the UK, known as the E3, commended IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi for his efforts to restore the full implementation of Iran’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, despite Iran’s serious curtailing of its cooperation with the Agency since June 2025.
The E3 countries said Grossi’s report pointed out that in June 2025, a number of Iran’s nuclear facilities were the target of military attacks. “We have been clear that France, Germany, and the United Kingdom were not involved,” they said.
Their statement noted that for the entire reporting period, Iran practically ended cooperation with the IAEA.
On July 2, it said, an Iranian law suspending IAEA inspector access was brought into force.
Since 13 June, the Agency has had no access to any of the safeguarded nuclear facilities in Iran, except for Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, nor has it received any of the legally required reports from Iran on its nuclear program.
On Tuesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty announced that the IAEA and Iran agreed on a new cooperation framework, after Tehran suspended cooperation with the agency following the 12-day war with Israel, which saw Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Tuesday’s agreement comes against the backdrop of an ongoing threat by European powers to re-impose wide-ranging sanctions against Iran that were lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.
The process — termed a “snapback” — was designed to be veto-proof at the UN and could take effect in a month.
The move set a 30-day clock ticking for the resumption of sanctions unless the West and Iran reach a diplomatic agreement.
European nations have said they would be willing to extend the deadline if Iran resumes direct negotiations with the US over its nuclear program, allows UN nuclear inspectors access to its nuclear sites, and accounts for the more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium the UN watchdog says it has.
The agreement between Tehran and the United Nations' atomic watchdog should in principle pave the way for a full resumption of inspections interrupted by the military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in June.
Diplomats warned, however, that the devil was in the detail and neither Grossi not Araqchi provided any at a joint press conference on their agreement covering what the IAEA has been calling “modalities” on how inspections can resume.
On Wednesday, no further details were provided about the agreement, but Grossi said at a joint news conference after the signing that it was technical in nature and highlighted the “indispensable” inspection work that needs to resume in Iran under the treaty of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Later, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state TV in an interview, “I have to reiterate the agreement does not currently provide access to IAEA inspectors, apart from the Bushehr nuclear plant.”
In its statement, the E3 on Thursday said there was never a reason for Iran not to allow inspections to resume at all unaffected facilities or to withhold legally required reports.
Instead of upholding its obligations, for several months Iran demanded “separate” and “new” arrangements with the IAEA with conditions outside the IAEA’s verification mandate, the three countries noted.
They added that Iran does not need a separate arrangement as Iran’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement has provisions for the implementation of safeguards under special circumstances, and the IAEA is well equipped to conduct its work in difficult conditions.
The E3 said they were updated on the agreement in Cairo on modalities for the full reimplementation of Iran’s Safeguards Agreement, including all necessary accesses, inspections and reporting at all nuclear facilities and installations of Iran.
“We take note of Grossi’s statement that this agreement will neither amend nor modify Iran’s NPT Safeguards Agreement. Now is the time to see action from Iran, not words,” the three European countries said.
Therefore, the E3 said they hope that Iran will seize this opportunity to urgently implement the measures requested by the Director General, including: preparation by Iran of special reports for high and low enriched uranium for the affected facilities, updated Design Information Questionnaires, and full resumption of Agency inspections at all safeguarded nuclear sites and facilities in Iran, affected or unaffected.
Also, at the IAEA Board of Governors Meeting, US Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, Howard Solomon said his country extends its deep gratitude to Grossi and to his team for their continued efforts to verify Iran’s implementation of its CSA, especially as Iran has, of its own accord, adopted legislation placing undue conditions on its cooperation with the Agency.
