Iran has issued a strong warning that it may expel United Nations nuclear inspectors and cut cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if threats against the country continue.
Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said in a post on social media that persistent external pressure and the looming risk of military action could force Iran to take drastic steps. These steps may include removing IAEA inspectors from the country and halting all collaboration with the agency responsible for monitoring Iran’s nuclear program.
Shamkhani, who formerly headed Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, also mentioned the possible transfer of enriched nuclear materials to new, undisclosed sites within Iran, raising further concerns among international observers.
His warning comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States have flared once again. The nuclear standoff has reignited after former US President Donald Trump, known for his tough stance on Iran, hinted at military action if diplomatic efforts fail to deliver a new nuclear agreement.
This latest development follows years of rising distrust and stalled negotiations between Tehran and Washington. The 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), began to unravel after the US withdrew from the agreement in 2018, under Trump’s leadership. Since then, Iran has scaled back its commitments and resumed higher levels of uranium enrichment.
The IAEA has remained one of the few channels for international oversight of Iran’s nuclear activities. Removing inspectors would mark a significant escalation and reduce transparency, making it harder to verify Iran’s nuclear intentions.
Global powers are watching the situation closely, as any disruption in IAEA access could bring the region closer to a new crisis. The prospect of secret enrichment sites and the breakdown of monitoring could also provoke swift reactions from Western nations and Israel, who have long expressed concern over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
With diplomacy on shaky ground and military threats in the air, the coming days could prove decisive in shaping the future of the nuclear dispute. Whether Iran follows through on its warning may depend on the next moves by the US and its allies.