UPDATE - Iran's parliament votes to suspend cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency

UPDATES WITH DETAILS, ADDS CHANGES

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Iranian parliament Wednesday morning voted to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, one day after a US-proposed ceasefire with Israel took effect.

“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran will suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency until the security of nuclear facilities is guaranteed,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the parliament, said in a statement cited by Fars News Agency.

“Iran’s peaceful nuclear program will progress at a faster pace,” he added.

The bill to halt cooperation was passed by 222 votes, with no votes against and one abstention.

“We will not be deceived by any promises and will be more prepared than before to give a fierce response to any aggression,” Ghalibaf stressed.

Alireza Salimi, a member of the parliament's presidium, said: “According to the parliament's resolution, the agency's agents do not have the right to enter the country for inspections unless the security of the country's nuclear facilities and peaceful nuclear activities are guaranteed, and this is also subject to the approval of the Supreme National Security Council.”

Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran on June 13, including military and nuclear facilities, alleging that Tehran was on the verge of producing a nuclear bomb, a claim vehemently denied by Iran.

While Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, the US joined the conflict by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday.

After 12 days of aerial combat between the two regional arch-foes, US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran to end their conflict.