Hold Iran accountable for expelling nuclear inspectors

Excerpt

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear provocations continue to mount.

The clerical regime on Sept. 16 barred one-third of all International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from the country’s nuclear facilities. The organization’s director general, Rafael Grossi, said in a statement that Tehran’s move is “disproportionate and unprecedented” and “affects in a direct and severe way the ability of the IAEA to conduct effectively its inspections in Iran.” 

World powers must rectify their feckless approach and hold Tehran accountable for its nuclear misconduct. They must censure Iran at the next IAEA Board of Governors meeting on Oct. 2, and provide a deadline for Tehran to reinstate the inspectors. If the regime fails to comply, the West should enact the snapback of UN sanctions on Iran. 

Ambassador Jackie Wolcott was the U.S. representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency from 2018 to 2021. Andrea Stricker is deputy director of the nonproliferation and biodefense program and a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow Andrea on X @StrickerNonpro. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.