Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) signed a landmark agreement on Tuesday to restore cooperation and resume international inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The deal was finalized in Cairo during a meeting brokered by Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. The breakthrough ends nearly three months of deadlock after Tehran halted cooperation in the aftermath of Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June.
That conflict escalated after Iranian authorities released documents allegedly showing that the IAEA had shared sensitive data about Iran’s nuclear facilities and personnel with Israel. The revelations sparked outrage in Tehran, where lawmakers swiftly passed legislation suspending all cooperation with the agency. By early July, IAEA inspectors had left the country.
The new agreement will allow inspectors to return and resume monitoring activities. It will also address concerns about Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which Western intelligence estimates at over 400 kilograms at 60 percent purity. Some officials believe the material is being stored deep within the Fordow Nuclear Facility, while others suggest it could be hidden at an undisclosed site.
Despite the agreement, uncertainty remains. Foreign Minister Araghchi warned that cooperation could collapse if the so-called E3—Britain, France, and Germany—move forward with triggering the “snapback” mechanism under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The E3 initiated the process on August 28, which could lead to the reimposition of full UN sanctions within 30 days unless paused or replaced with a new agreement.
South Korea, holding the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, introduced a resolution on Monday to lift sanctions on Iran permanently in line with the JCPOA framework. However, observers expect the United States, the United Kingdom, or France to veto the measure.
The timing is critical. Under the JCPOA, all UN sanctions on Iran are due to be lifted on October 18, 2025—ten years after the deal was signed—unless the snapback provisions are enforced.
Russia and China have already stated they will not support new sanctions, accusing the E3 of hypocrisy for claiming Iran violated the JCPOA while they themselves walked away from key commitments. Moscow has submitted its own proposal for a six-month extension of the JCPOA framework to allow additional negotiations and avoid escalation.