Iran has refused to allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors access to nuclear sites damaged in U.S. and Israeli strikes, according to statements from the head of its atomic energy organization.

Mohammad Eslami, chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, told state media on Wednesday that the IAEA cannot request inspections of attacked sites until specific rules and protocols are drafted, approved, and notified. He cited a law passed by Iran's parliament as the governing standard for such facilities.

Eslami noted that all targeted sites had been registered with the IAEA and subject to prior inspections. He said unattacked facilities continue to be monitored under existing safeguards agreements, but damaged ones require new procedures to address security conditions. Iran remains in a state of war, he added, and the security situation at the sites does not permit inspections.

The comments came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts following the 2026 conflict. An interim memorandum signed in June sought to end hostilities that began earlier in the year, but the 60-day negotiation period expired without a permanent agreement.

Eslami accused the United States and Israel of pressuring the IAEA to gain access in order to evaluate the results of their military operations. He criticized the agency for failing to condemn the strikes on facilities it had previously monitored.

IAEA access to the damaged sites has been restricted since the strikes, preventing independent verification of nuclear material and facility conditions. Earlier reports indicated that sites including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were hit during the conflict.

Iran maintains it will continue existing safeguards processes for non-damaged locations while insisting on new frameworks for the affected ones.