Iran has issued a warning against Western-led efforts to escalate tensions through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as any potential Israeli aggression, ahead of a possible sixth round of talks with the United States.
Behrouz Kamalvandi, deputy head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said Tehran would deliver a “proportionate” response to any hostile actions by Western nations or the IAEA.
Speaking on Iranian state television Monday night, he noted, “If we decide to scale back our cooperation, the agency will not be able to fulfill its mandate. We have gone beyond our obligations, and if this is not acknowledged, we will return to standard levels of cooperation.”
His remarks come as the IAEA Board of Governors holds a five-day meeting in Vienna, with Iran once again under scrutiny over alleged non-compliance with its nuclear non-proliferation commitments.
Backed by the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—the remaining European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal—are pushing for a new censure resolution. If passed, it could be the most serious in two decades and may mark a shift toward greater confrontation.
The 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the JCPOA, lifted UN sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear activities, including a 3.67% cap on uranium enrichment. However, the deal was undermined in 2018 when then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. and re-imposed sanctions.
European parties could now trigger a “snapback” mechanism within the deal that would reinstate all UN Security Council sanctions lifted under the JCPOA—a move that a strong IAEA resolution could help set in motion.