• Iran and the IAEA signed an agreement in Cairo to restart inspections.
• The deal follows a sensitive period amid threats of reimposed sanctions from Europe.
• IAEA’s oversight is crucial as inspectors remain unable to verify Iran's uranium stockpile.

Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) signed an agreement on Tuesday in Cairo to resume cooperation, specifically targeting inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities. This announcement was made following discussions among Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, indicating the importance of Egypt in facilitating these talks. Grossi referred to the deal as “a step in the right direction,” highlighting the necessity for ongoing inspections despite existing challenges, according to SCMP, NPR, and Africanews.

The agreement emerges during a critical juncture, with France, Germany, and the United Kingdom initiating the process of reimposing sanctions on Iran over concerns of non-compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal. In June, Iran's parliament had adopted a law suspending cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, coinciding with escalating military actions involving the U.S. and Israel against Iranian sites. The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant remains the only site inspected by the IAEA, where officials noted a procedure for fuel replacement on August 27, as scrutiny over Iran’s nuclear arsenal increases, according to Newsweek and Africanews.

Since June 13, IAEA inspectors have faced challenges in verifying Iran's near bomb-grade uranium stockpile, a situation described as “a matter of serious concern” by the UN nuclear watchdog. The Iranian foreign ministry has indicated discussions regarding their nuclear program will be “technical” and “complicated,” reflecting the tensions that exist post-conflict. The recent war, which involved key strikes on Iranian facilities, has further strained relations, emphasizing the urgency of the newly forged agreement, according to SCMP, NPR, and Newsweek.