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<div class="gmail-inner-article-top"><h1 class="gmail-">Betrayed by western snapback: Iran dumps IAEA deal </h1><p class="gmail-">Tehran\u2019s
attempt at diplomatic detente was met with an escalation by the US and
the E3. Now Iran has pulled the plug on a key nuclear safeguards deal
brokered by Cairo.</p><div class="gmail-another-name"><p><a href="https://thecradle.co/authors/fereshteh-sadeghi-101" style="color:rgb(164,4,4)">Fereshteh Sadeghi</a></p></div><div class="gmail-another-name" style="margin-top:16px"><p><span style="color:rgb(84,88,94)">NOV 25, 2025 - </span><font size="1"><a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/betrayed-by-western-snapback-iran-dumps-iaea-deal">https://thecradle.co/articles/betrayed-by-western-snapback-iran-dumps-iaea-deal</a></font></p></div></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-img"><img src="https://thecradle-main.oss-eu-central-1.aliyuncs.com/public/articles/66ec9b62-ca06-11f0-95e5-00163e02c055.jpeg" alt="" width="394" height="186" style="margin-right: 0px;"><span>Photo Credit: The Cradle</span></div><div class="gmail-inner-article-content"><div class="gmail-row"><div class="gmail-col-md-8 gmail-col-sm-7"><div class="gmail-article-content"><span class="gmail-article-body"><p style="text-align:justify">Just hours before his visit to France to discuss Iran\u2019s nuclear file, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi <a href="https://en.isna.ir/news/1404090402381/Araghchi-Warns-Against-Militant-Unilateralism-at-OPCW-Conference">warned</a>:</p><blockquote><p>\u201cInternational
relations face unprecedented crises due to militant unilateralism.
Repeated violations of international law \u2013 including ongoing conflicts
in West Asia \u2013 reflect the backing of the United States and the
tolerance of certain European states.\u201d</p></blockquote><p style="text-align:justify">This
underscores Tehran\u2019s defiant stance as it moves in its nuclear
diplomacy. Just three months after Israeli-US airstrikes targeted
Iranian nuclear sites, Tehran signed a significant security agreement
with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It did not last
long. </p><p style="text-align:justify">The so-called Cairo Agreement,
signed in September and brokered by Egypt, was meant to defuse tensions.
Yet that same month, the western-backed IAEA was <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/grossi-again-irans-new-iaea-deal-smells-like-jcpoa-2-0">warned</a>
against \u201cany hostile action against Iran \u2013 including the reinstatement
of cancelled UN Security Council resolutions\u201d in which case the deal
would become \u201cnull and void.\u201d </p><p style="text-align:justify">Of note, Iran\u2013IAEA relations had been deteriorating since June during the <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/iran-and-israel-at-war">12-day US-Israeli war</a>
on Iran. The IAEA and its director general, Rafael Grossi, refused to
condemn the attacks on Iranian civilians and nuclear facilities, and the
targeted assassinations of nuclear scientists and senior military
officers.</p><p style="text-align:justify">The IAEA\u2019s refusal to
condemn the US-Israeli violations made Iranians furious. They accused
Grossi of paving the ground for the strikes and<a href="https://www.asriran.com/fa/news/1070349/\u0631\u0648\u0632\u0646\u0627\u0645\u0647-\u062c\u0645\u0647\u0648\u0631\u06cc-\u0627\u0633\u0644\u0627\u0645\u06cc-\u06af\u0631\u0648\u0633\u06cc-\u0645\u0647\u0631\u0647-\u062c\u06cc\u0631\u0647\u200c\u062e\u0648\u0627\u0631-\u0627\u0633\u0631\u0627\u06cc\u06cc\u0644-\u0627\u0633\u062a-\u0648-\u0628\u0647-\u0641\u0631\u0645\u0627\u0646-\u0627\u0633\u0631\u0627\u06cc\u06cc\u0644\u06cc-\u0647\u0627-\u0639\u0645\u0644-\u0645\u06cc\u200c\u06a9\u0646\u062f"> being Israel\u2019s footman</a>.
The Islamic Republic formally lodged a protest with the UN Secretary
General and the Security Council against Grossi, arguing he<a href="https://snn.ir/fa/news/1285174/\u0646\u0642\u0634-\u067e\u0646\u0647\u0627\u0646-\u0622\u0698\u0627\u0646\u0633-\u0627\u0646\u0631\u0698\u06cc-\u0627\u062a\u0645\u06cc-\u062f\u0631-\u067e\u0648\u0634\u0634-\u062a\u062c\u0627\u0648\u0632\u0627\u062a-\u0648-\u062c\u0646\u06af\u200c\u0627\u0641\u0631\u0648\u0632\u06cc\u200c\u0647\u0627\u06cc-\u063a\u0631\u0628\u06cc\u0622\u0642\u0627\u06cc-\u06af\u0631\u0648\u0633\u06cc-\u0634\u0631\u0645-\u06a9\u0646\u06cc\u062f-\u0648-\u0627\u0633\u062a\u0639\u0641\u0627-\u062f\u0647\u06cc\u062f"> breached the IAEA\u2019s neutrality</a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Resistance to western coercion</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify">The
Iranian parliament \u2013 or Majlis \u2013 raised the bar by ratifying
legislation that suspended cooperation between Tehran and the
international nuclear watchdog. The law<a href="https://www.icana.ir/news/398863/\u06a9\u0644\u06cc\u0627\u062a-\u0648-\u062c\u0632\u0626\u06cc\u0627\u062a-\u0637\u0631\u062d-\u062a\u0639\u0644\u06cc\u0642-\u0647\u0645\u06a9\u0627\u0631\u06cc-\u0627\u06cc\u0631\u0627\u0646-\u0628\u0627-\u0622\u0698\u0627\u0646\u0633-\u062a\u0635\u0648\u06cc\u0628-\u0634\u062f-\u062a\u0639\u0644\u06cc\u0642"> was passed</a> immediately after the war ended on 25 June. </p><p style="text-align:justify">It
declared Grossi and his inspectors \u201cpersona non grata\u201d and forbade them
from travelling to Iran or visiting Iranian nuclear facilities. The law
stipulated that the suspension will continue so long as the security
and safety of Iranian nuclear installations and scientists have not been
guaranteed.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Nevertheless, the Egyptian-mediated Cairo Agreement appeared to thaw the standoff, if temporarily. It was <a href="https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/multimedia/videos/statement-by-iaea-director-general-on-iran">signed</a>
in the presence of Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi and Grossi, and
ambiguously framed as a deal on \u201cimplementing the Safeguards Agreement.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">Few
details were made public then; while the IAEA called it a deal on
\u201cpractical modalities and implementation of the Safeguards Agreement\u201d,
the Iranian side insisted it was \u201ca new regime of cooperation.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">State
news agency, IRNA, elaborated, \u201cthe agency will not engage in
monitoring activities provided Iran has not carried out environmental
and nuclear safety measures at its bombed facilities.\u201d IRNA <a href="https://www.irna.ir/news/85938026/\u0642\u0635\u0647-\u0642\u0627\u0647\u0631\u0647-\u0646\u06af\u0627\u0647\u06cc-\u0628\u0647-\u062c\u0632\u0626\u06cc\u0627\u062a-\u0645\u0630\u0627\u06a9\u0631\u0627\u062a-\u0648-\u067e\u06cc\u0627\u0645-\u062a\u0648\u0627\u0641\u0642-\u0627\u06cc\u0631\u0627\u0646-\u0648-\u0622\u0698\u0627\u0646\u0633">referred</a>
to the Supreme National Security Council as the sole body that \u201ccould
greenlight the IAEA monitoring missions inside Iran, case by case.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">Iran\u2019s
diplomatic maneuvering, including the deal with the IAEA, was obviously
part of the broader strategy to prevent the UK, France, and Germany
from activating the <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/e3-snapback-may-trigger-iranian-nuclear-double-down">snapback</a> mechanism, in the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany.</p><p style="text-align:justify">The European Troika (E3), who were clearly dissatisfied with the Cairo Agreement,<a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/european-powers-pressure-iran-on-nuclear-inspections-threaten-sanctions/3690613"> reiterated</a> \u201cTehran needs to allow inspections of sensitive sites and address its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Snapback triggers collapse</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify">A threat to terminate the Cairo Agreement actually came three days after it was clinched, when Iran\u2019s Foreign Ministry<a href="https://en.irna.ir/news/85925240/Tehran-warns-E3-that-snapback-activation-will-threaten-Iran-IAEA"> warned that</a>
\u201claunching the snapback mechanism would put the ongoing cooperation
between Iran and the IAEA at risk.\u201d Nevertheless, the UK, France, and
Germany<a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/e3-countries-welcome-activation-of-snapback-sanctions-on-iran-/3701452"> moved ahead</a> with the snapback activation.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Araghchi\u2019s<a href="https://www.asriran.com/fa/news/1102568/\u0686\u0631\u0627-\u0627\u06cc\u0631\u0627\u0646-\u0628\u0627-\u0622\u0698\u0627\u0646\u0633-\u062f\u0631-\u0642\u0627\u0647\u0631\u0647-\u062a\u0648\u0627\u0641\u0642-\u06a9\u0631\u062f-\u0641\u06cc\u0644\u0645"> first reaction</a> noted that \u201cin regards to the E3\u2019s move, the Cairo agreement has lost its functionality.\u201d Iranians had also vowed to <a href="https://www.isna.ir/news/1404062817018/\u0627\u06af\u0631-\u0627\u0633\u0646\u067e-\u0628\u06a9-\u0627\u062c\u0631\u0627-\u0634\u0648\u062f-\u062a\u0648\u0627\u0641\u0642-\u0642\u0627\u0647\u0631\u0647-\u0645\u062a\u0648\u0642\u0641-\u0645\u06cc-\u0634\u0648\u062f-\u0628\u0647-\u0646\u0638\u0627\u0645-\u062a\u062d\u0631\u06cc\u0645\u06cc">halt</a> cooperation with the IAEA. However, they did not fulfill that threat and collaborated in silence.</p><p style="text-align:justify">The IAEA inspectors visited<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iaea-inspectors-visited-iranian-nuclear-sites-last-week-foreign-ministry-says-2025-11-10/"> some Iranian nuclear sites</a> in early November. However, they were not given access to the <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/us-attacks-on-iran-damaged-only-one-of-three-nuclear-sites-targeted-report">US-bombed</a> Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Even
this tactical compliance failed to shield Tehran from a new IAEA
censure. On 20 November, the agency\u2019s Board of Governors passed a
US-E3-backed <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iaea-board-passes-resolution-demanding-answers-access-iran-2025-11-20/">resolution</a> ignoring Iran\u2019s cooperation and demanding immediate access to all affected sites and data.</p><p style="text-align:justify">It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Iran<a href="https://en.irna.ir/news/86002878/Foreign-Ministry-IAEA-BoG-resolution-on-Iran-s-peaceful-nuclear"> condemned the move</a> as \u201cillegal, unjustifiable, irresponsible, and a stain on the image of its sponsors.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">Araghchi on his<a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/1991832932625924381?s=46&t=nxLMX6ojzDoDtV-T_NHl5A"> X account</a>
posted, \u201clike the diplomacy which was assaulted by Israel and the US in
June, the Cairo Agreement has been killed by the US and the E3.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">For
the second time, Iran\u2019s top diplomat announced the termination of the
Cairo Agreement, \u201cgiven that the E3 and the US seek escalation, they
know full well that the official termination of the Cairo Agreement is
the direct outcome of their provocations.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">Iran\u2019s representative to the IAEA, Reza Nadjafi, <a href="https://x.com/bbcpersian/status/1991514203715162220?s=46&t=nxLMX6ojzDoDtV-T_NHl5A">told</a>
reporters that \u201cIf the US claims success in destroying Iran\u2019s Natanz
and Fordow facilities, then what is left for inspections?\u201d and further
warned, \u201cany decision (by the IAEA) has its own consequences.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Back to confrontation</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify">By
applying pressure through the IAEA, the E3 and the US seek to coerce
Iran into opening the doors of its bombed nuclear sites to the IAEA
inspectors, to hand over the 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60
percent, which the US believes is<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/24/jd-vance-trump-iran-nuclear-program"> still intact,</a> and \u201cto eliminate Iran\u2019s ability to convert that fuel into a nuclear weapon.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">The
collapse of the Cairo Agreement marks a return to the kind of standoff
that defined US\u2013Iran relations from 2005 to 2013, when Iran's nuclear
file was sent to the UN Security Council, and sanctions were imposed
under <a href="https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/chapter-7">Chapter VII</a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Some<a href="https://donya-e-eqtesad.com/\u0628\u062e\u0634-\u0633\u0631\u0645\u0642\u0627\u0644\u0647-28/4230494-\u067e\u06cc\u0627\u0645\u062f\u0647\u0627\u06cc-\u0642\u0637\u0639\u0646\u0627\u0645\u0647-\u0634\u0648\u0631\u0627\u06cc-\u062d\u06a9\u0627\u0645"> skeptics</a> believe
US President Donald Trump's administration would not only take Iran to
the Security Council but would also cite the chapter in question, which
sanctions the use of military force against any country deemed a threat
to global peace.</p><p style="text-align:justify">While Iran signed the
2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in hopes of avoiding
that scenario, the US's unilateral withdrawal under Donald Trump's first
term in 2018 and the E3\u2019s failure to meet their obligations rendered
the agreement toothless. </p><p style="text-align:justify">June\u2019s
US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iranian nuclear infrastructure
confirmed for Tehran that western powers have no intention of engaging
in diplomacy in good faith.</p><p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Toward a new strategy </strong></p><p style="text-align:justify">According
to IRNA, which echoes the official line of the Iranian government,
\u201cIran feels that the goodwill gestures it has shown towards the IAEA and
the United States, have drawn further hostility. Therefore, maybe now
it is the time to change course and revise its strategy and the rule of
engagement with international bodies, including the IAEA.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">Some<a href="https://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/9028340/\u0627\u0644\u0632\u0627\u0645\u0627\u062a-\u0631\u0627\u0647\u0628\u0631\u062f-\u0647\u0633\u062a\u0647\u200c\u0627\u06cc-\u0627\u06cc\u0631\u0627\u0646-\u0628\u0639\u062f-\u0627\u0632-\u0644\u063a\u0648-\u062a\u0648\u0627\u0641\u0642-\u0642\u0627\u0647\u0631\u0647"> observers</a>
believe Iran\u2019s first step to map out a new strategy is pursuing the
policy of \u201cnuclear ambiguity, remaining silent regarding the whereabouts
of the stockpile of the highly-enriched uranium and quietly halting the
implementation of the [Nuclear] Non-Proliferation Treaty, without
officially admitting it.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">In the latest development, the chairman of the Parliament\u2019s National Security Committee has<a href="https://en.irna.ir/news/86004450/Iran-committed-to-pursue-nuclear-progress-vigorously-Lawmaker"> vowed that</a>
\u201cIran will sturdily pursue its nuclear achievements.\u201d Ibrahim Azizi has
cautioned the US and Europe that \u201cIran has changed its behavior post
June attacks and they\u2019d better not try Iran\u2019s patience.\u201d</p><p style="text-align:justify">That
posture is hardening. In September, over 70 Iranian lawmakers urged the
Supreme National Security Council to reconsider Iran\u2019s <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles-id/33288">defense doctrine</a> \u2013 including its long-standing religious prohibition on nuclear weapons. </p><p style="text-align:justify">They
argue that the regional and international order has changed
irreversibly since Israel and the US jointly bombed the Iranian nuclear
facilities. While citing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei\u2019s 2010 fatwa
banning nuclear weapons, they assert that in Shia jurisprudence, such
rulings may evolve when conditions change \u2013 especially when the <a href="https://thecradle.co/articles/existential-threat-can-bring-changes-to-irans-nuclear-doctrine-tehran">survival</a> of the Islamic Republic is at stake.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Iran
is also working to immunize itself against any escalation at the UN
Security Council. Here, it banks on the veto power of Russia and China
to neutralize any western effort to reimpose sanctions.</p><p style="text-align:justify">The
collapse of the Cairo Agreement marks a turning point in Tehran\u2019s
nuclear diplomacy. It is a conclusion drawn from years of unmet
commitments and military escalation that western multilateralism has
exhausted its credibility. </p></span></div></div></div></div>
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