Iran Responds to Israeli Attack on Qatar, Signals Tensions with IAEA and Europe Over Nuclear Sites:

Tehran, Iran – Iranian officials are scrambling to address the fallout after Israel’s unprecedented airstrike on Qatar, while managing renewed tensions with global powers over its nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to appear before the national security commission of parliament on Saturday evening, as pressure mounts over the recent agreement he signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Cairo. The deal, announced earlier this week, aims to restore limited cooperation between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog after months of deep mistrust. However, Araghchi has made it clear that international inspectors will not receive automatic access to any nuclear sites — especially those targeted in June bombings allegedly carried out by the U.S. and Israel. “The IAEA will only be allowed access to Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant,” Araghchi told Iranian state TV, adding that any further access would require strict case-by-case approval from the Supreme National Security Council. The council, chaired by top figures including the president, judiciary chief, and appointees of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will evaluate whether damaged sites are safe or still contain radioactive material. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, meanwhile, told the agency’s Board of Governors that the agreement covers "all facilities and installations in Iran" and mandates reporting on the status of nuclear material at bombed sites — a point that hardliners in Tehran have strongly rejected. Iran Threatens to Leave NPT Amid Sanctions Pressure In a separate development, Iran is warning it could withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the so-called "snapback" sanctions mechanism is reactivated by European countries. France, Germany, and the UK — collectively known as the E3 — triggered the snapback in late August, giving Iran one month to return to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal or face renewed UN sanctions. According to hardline MP Amir Hayat Moghadam, Araghchi indicated in a closed-door session that abandoning the NPT is being considered as part of Iran’s legislative response to European pressure. While the move is not finalized, it marks a sharp escalation in Tehran’s stance and has drawn criticism from China and Russia, both signatories to the original 2015 agreement. Despite the diplomatic strain, Araghchi revealed that Iran and France are close to finalizing a prisoner swap, which could take place in the coming days. One of the prisoners likely to be exchanged is Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian translator arrested in Lyon earlier this year over posts on Telegram allegedly glorifying terrorism and spreading hate speech. Regional Tensions: Iran Urges Joint Response Against Israel Iran is also seeking to rally regional support after Israel launched an airstrike on Qatar earlier this week in what officials say was a failed assassination attempt against Hamas leaders. Ali Larijani, Iran’s new security chief, strongly criticized the lack of coordinated action among Islamic countries. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Larijani called for the formation of a "joint operations room" to confront Israeli aggression. “Holding symbolic summits without any action is a green light to more violence,” he warned. In response, Qatar has announced an emergency Arab-Islamic summit, set for Monday in Doha, with a preparatory meeting of foreign ministers taking place on Sunday. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian will represent Tehran at the summit. As tensions mount both regionally and globally, Iran's diplomatic balancing act between hardline domestic politics and international negotiations faces its most significant test in years.

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