Saudi Arabia welcomes Iran-IAEA deal on resuming nuclear inspections

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday welcomed an agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resume joint cooperation, saying it supports efforts to restore inspections and defuse tensions.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed the kingdom’s appreciation for the role played by Egypt in mediating the deal between Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog.

The ministry emphasized “the importance of building trust, adopting diplomatic solutions, and continuing cooperation between Iran and the IAEA.”

The deal was announced Tuesday in Cairo after IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to agree on practical modalities for inspections. Grossi later thanked Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty for helping broker the understanding.

‏The move came after Tehran suspended its ties with the UN agency following US and Israeli strikes on the country in June, accusing the agency of bias against Tehran.

Iran was engaged in Oman-mediated nuclear negotiations with the US when Israel launched a surprise attack on Tehran on June 13, targeting military, nuclear, and civilian sites as well as senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.

Tehran launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes, while the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites. The 12-day conflict came to a halt under a US-sponsored ceasefire that took effect on June 24.