Mohammad Eslami, who heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), made the remarks to Japan’s Kyodo News agency in a written interview that was published on Wednesday.
The current security situation amid the risk of potential fresh aggression by the Israeli regime remains "similar to wartime," he added.
The regime imposed an illegal war of aggression on Iran in June, carrying out deadly and destructive attacks against the Islamic Republic that targeted its nuclear installations, defensive infrastructure, military officials, nuclear scientists, and ordinary civilians. Around 935 people, including small children, were martyred during the attacks that lasted for 12 days.
The United States joined the assault halfway through its course, striking several key Iranian nuclear sites.
According to Eslami, "This is the first time in history that safeguarded nuclear facilities have come under military attack.”
He reiterated the Islamic Republic’s assertion that the aggression had rendered it impossible for the Islamic Republic to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency () as before.
"Special precautions must be taken before inspections can return to normal."
The official, meanwhile, renewed the country’s criticism of the over its role in the aggression.
Right before the strikes, the agency issued an anti-Iranian resolution that was used by Tel Aviv and Washington to try to justify the war.
Various reports also emerged in the immediate run-up to the attacks that exposed Director-General Rafael Grossi’s “close cooperation” with Tel Aviv against Tehran.
The precise day before saw Iran's Arabic-language television news network al-Alam TV report how leaked documents had shown that the UN nuclear watchdog’s chief had been carrying out Israeli officials’ directives and orders in full.
Back then, the report cast doubt on the agency’s neutrality and independence.
Majlis (the Iranian Parliament) passed a law following the war, mandating suspension of cooperation with the agency.
Eslami underlined that, in light of such history, trust with the agency had to be rebuilt.
As a sign of goodwill, Iran signed an agreement with the in Cairo on September 9 in order to pave the way for resumption of the two sides’ cooperation.
The official noted that efforts were underway towards complete implementation of the agreement.
Iran has, meanwhile, resumed limited internal checks, including at its Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in the southern part of the country, but the parliament remains wary of intelligence leaks that could expose nuclear facilities to renewed attacks.
‘ no longer independent’
Eslami asserted that “no country places any issue above its sovereignty and national security” given the likelihood of fresh aggression and the fact that the had “lost” its independence.
Western states have been bending the to their will, including the United States that has threatened to reduce the agency's funding if member states supported a resolution censuring the Israeli regime at an annual general meeting of the agency in Vienna, he stated.
Inaction an ‘unforgiveable mistake’
The 's failure to condemn the Israeli-American war on Iran was an "unforgivable mistake that will go down in history," Eslami said.
In the same context, he urged Grossi to at least acknowledge the problems such strikes create for the issues of nuclear safety and the safeguard regime.
The official finally defended Iran's right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), saying that inspection-related "obligations only make sense when they come with respect for rights."
Press TV