Iran says IAEA inspectors could be expelled if threats continue

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) – A senior Iranian official warned Thursday that Iran may expel inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and suspend cooperation with the agency if “external threats” persist.

In a statement on his X account, Ali Shamkhani said the continuation of “external threats and the possibility of a military attack on Iran” could lead to the “expulsion of IAEA inspectors and the suspension of cooperation with the IAEA.”

Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former head of the country’s top security agency, also warned that transferring enriched materials to “secure and undisclosed locations within Iran” may be considered.

His remarks come amid a dramatic escalation in tensions between Iran and the US over Iran’s nuclear program, with US President Donald Trump threatening a military strike against Tehran.