The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday that its last remaining inspectors have left Iran and are returning to the agency’s headquarters in Vienna. The withdrawal, carried out by road, follows mounting safety concerns for the personnel, who had remained in Tehran throughout the recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel. Iran’s parliament voted on 25 June to halt cooperation with the IAEA, and President Masoud Pezeshkian enacted the measure on 2 July. Since the start of the war on 13 June, inspectors had been confined to their hotel and had not been allowed to visit nuclear facilities that were struck by U.S. and Israeli forces. Their exit effectively severs the agency’s on-the-ground access to Iran’s atomic programme. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi urged Tehran to agree quickly on terms for reinstating the agency’s “indispensable” monitoring and verification activities, warning that prolonged blindness would undermine international confidence in the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear work. Washington condemned Iran’s suspension as “unacceptable”, while diplomats in Vienna said it remains unclear when inspectors might be allowed to return.