WANA (Nov 21) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that Tehran has formally declared the so-called Cairo Understanding null and void in response to the latest resolution adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors, warning that additional countermeasures are under consideration.

 

Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the resolution as “a deliberate misuse of an international body to advance the political agenda of the United States and three European states,” arguing that the move disregards the agency’s own standards and undermines its independence.

 

He criticized the text for omitting any reference to what he described as the “U.S.–Israeli attack” on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June—a development he said was the direct cause of reduced inspections and limited cooperation with the agency. According to Baghaei, the vote also revealed deep divisions within the Board, with nearly half of the member states abstaining or voting against it, including China and Russia.

 

Baghaei called the legal basis of the resolution “extremely weak,” noting that it rests on measures that Iran and “a significant part of the international community—including two permanent members of the Security Council—consider null and void.”

 

He confirmed that Tehran has notified the agency in writing that the Cairo Understanding, reached after lengthy negotiations and presented as a goodwill gesture, is no longer valid. He added that further steps are being evaluated.

 

Baghaei also dismissed Western claims of supporting diplomacy as “hypocritical,” arguing that the very act of issuing a resolution amounts to opposing diplomatic solutions and resorting instead to pressure and sanctions.

Cairo Agreement between Iran and IAEA

Cairo Agreement between Iran and IAEA. Social media/ WANA News Agency