IAEA says Iran open to technical talks, inspections on hold

The launch took place from Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome at 9:54 a.m. Tehran time, as part of a broader mission carrying two Russian Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 smaller payloads. Russian media did not publicly name Iran but said one of the CubeSats aboard was being launched “for the benefit of a foreign customer.” Iranian outlets later confirmed it was Nahid-2.

The mission comes just four days after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) conducted a suborbital test of its Qased satellite carrier, part of what it described as an effort to enhance Iran’s space capabilities. Observers say the timing reflects Tehran’s intent to project technological resilience and strategic messaging following last month’s war with Israel.

Western officials have repeatedly voiced concern over Iran’s satellite launches due to their dual-use nature. “The same rocket that launches satellites can launch missiles; it’s the identical technology,” said Fatima Al-Asrar, a Yemeni-American policy analyst.

Tehran insists its space program is peaceful, but analysts say each launch potentially advances Iran’s ballistic missile know-how. “The timing shows Iran wants to project strength despite its recent setbacks,” said Middle East analyst Sina Azodi.

In January last year, the European Troika, Britain, France, and Germany, condemned Iran’s launch of the Soraya satellite aboard a Qaem 100 rocket, warning it "uses technology essential for the development of a long-range ballistic missile system."

Tehran rejects talk of extending UN resolution

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described the meeting with Britain, France and Germany as a “test of realism” for the E3 powers, calling it a chance for them to correct past positions. He said Iran opposes any extension of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which underpins the nuclear deal and expires in October, arguing that the E3 have “no legal standing” to pursue such a move.

Baghaei accused the three countries of siding with the US and Israel during last month's military strikes on Iranian soil and said they had “marginalized themselves” as negotiating partners.

E3 weighing sanctions delay

According to Western diplomats cited by the Financial Times, European powers are considering offering Iran a delay in reimposing UN sanctions, contingent upon Tehran resuming talks with Washington and restoring some cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Without such a step, the so-called snapback mechanism could be triggered as early as mid-September.

IAEA to send team, but no access to nuclear sites

Baghaei said a senior IAEA official is expected to visit Tehran in the coming weeks for talks on a new cooperation framework, but emphasized there are no plans for the delegation to inspect nuclear facilities damaged in last month’s Israeli and US strikes. The focus of the visit, he said, will be procedural coordination, and any further cooperation will depend on decisions by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi had earlier confirmed that a technical IAEA team would travel to Tehran, reiterating that site inspections were not on the agenda. He said Iran’s engagement with the agency was being guided by parliamentary legislation passed in response to the June attacks.

The proposal is expected to be presented during talks in Istanbul on Friday, the first direct meeting between European officials and Iranian negotiators since Israel’s 12-day war with Iran, which briefly involved the US, FT reported on Friday.

The offer would postpone the so-called snapback mechanism tied to the 2015 nuclear deal, which could automatically reinstate UN sanctions as early as mid-September unless Iran returns to negotiations. Any extension would likely require a UN Security Council resolution, diplomats told FT.

Iran says Europe lacks legal standing

Iran’s foreign ministry dismissed the European proposal as both illegitimate and irrelevant. “When the premise of restoring sanctions has no legal or logical basis, and the European parties themselves lack the authority to take such action, then talk of extending Resolution 2231 is doubly meaningless and groundless,” ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Friday.

He added that the European trio had disqualified themselves by violating their own commitments under the 2015 deal and backing US and Israeli military action. “The Istanbul meeting is a chance for them to correct course, if they want to avoid further eroding their credibility.”

Iran insists enrichment will continue

Iran has suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency since the June strikes on its nuclear facilities. However, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said this week that a technical team from the agency would visit Tehran soon to discuss a “new modality” for cooperation, excluding access to nuclear sites.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state television on Thursday that the upcoming talks did not signal any shift in Tehran’s position. “Uranium enrichment will continue and we will not compromise on the Iranian nation’s rights,” he said.

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, while the US maintains that Tehran must abandon enrichment before talks resume. The IAEA has said Iran could restart uranium production “within months.”

The research concentrates from 2017 to summer 2025, on reservoirs like Amir Kabir (Karaj), Lar and Latyan in Iran.

Newly released images show that in no previous period has the decline in water reserves at these reservoirs been as severe as in the summer of 2025.

“This could be summed up in one term: water bankruptcy,” Kaveh Madani, head of the United Nations University's Water, Environment and Health Institute said after observing the satellite images.

“The situation is not merely a crisis but a state of failure, as some of the damage is irreversible,” Madani added.

Amir Kabir Reservoir, one of the key sources of drinking water for Tehran and agricultural use in Alborz Province with a storage capacity of over 200 million cubic meters currently holds only about six percent of its usable volume.

Tehran on the brink of thirst

Iran has recently faced an unprecedented heatwave, and many natural and engineered water reservoirs across the country particularly in Tehran, Alborz and Fars provinces are nearly depleted.

In the capital Tehran, officials have attempted to curb consumption through emergency measures, including repeated water and electricity outages and temporary office closures on certain days.

"While dams have played a major role in development and cannot be completely dismissed, the overreliance on these structures and the absence of sound policymaking have been grave mistakes,” Madani said.

"You cannot keep expanding Tehran forever and expect the skies to keep raining or the aquifers to keep producing water,” Madani added.

Lar Reservoir, with a capacity of about 960 million cubic meters, supplies drinking water to parts of eastern and northern Tehran. Its reserves have now fallen below 10 percent.

Water scarcity, infrastructure erosion

Latyan Reservoir, another key source for eastern Tehran is now operating at just about 10 percent of its 95 million cubic meter capacity. In addition to drinking water, the reservoir also plays a role in seasonal flood control, and its sharp decline poses multi-dimensional risks.

The drop in Latyan Dam’s reservoir level has severely impacted both drinking water supplies and the ecological functioning of the surrounding system.

Exposure of policy failures

The satellite images reveal go beyond a seasonal drop. Tehran traditionally sources around 60 to 70 percent of its drinking water from the Lar, Latian, and Amir Kabir reservoirs. The simultaneous depletion of all three—coupled with the overdrawn state of groundwater resources—has placed the capital at risk of a systemic water crisis.

"The dramatic reduction in water volumes at Tehran’s reservoirs is not just a passing warning, but evidence of a structural failure in the country's water resource management,” said Roozbeh Eskandari, an environmental researcher.

“If this trend continues, the capital could face widespread drinking water rationing, loss of agricultural land, further depletion of aquifers and even social unrest,” Eskandari added. “The crisis is the result of a complex interplay of climate change, uncontrolled consumption growth, and poor governance in the water sector.”

"The Soviet Union collapsed without a revolution. A transformation is possible. But in Iran, I fear change will be violent, and the current regime will not go quietly," Issa said.

US President Donald Trump mooted regime change and even killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the height of combat amid a 12-day war between Iran and Israel last month.

As a ceasefire took hold, the administration backed away from the hawkish rhetoric but a senior Trump aide said this week that change could only come from within.

Issa, whose constituency south of Los Angeles is home to many Iranian-Americans, criticized Iranian opposition groups and exiled figures, saying their disagreements undermined their goal of toppling Tehran.

"They spend more time attacking each other than working together. That’s a strategic failure. If they were united, I believe regime change would already be underway."

A series of mass protests triggered by the death of a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, in morality police custody in 2022 led to nationwide protests which challenged Tehran's authority but were quashed with deadly force.

Congressman Issa also advocated for intensifying pressure on Tehran, calling for the full implementation of Trump's maximum pressure campaign.

"Take those ships, empty them in friendly ports, and don’t let them sail again," he said, referring to vessels carrying Iranian oil. "Cut off Iran’s oil revenue, and you’ll cripple the regime."

Asked about countries like China that continue to buy Iranian oil, Issa suggested offering alternative energy sources.

"I don’t want to deny China oil, but they shouldn’t get it from Iran. We must make it very expensive for Iran to raise revenue for its oppressive regime."

One of the first steps the Trump administration took against Iran was the reimposition of the maximum pressure campaign from his first term which aims at halting Tehran's oil revenues.

But in June, Donald Trump announced China could continue to purchase oil from Iran.

Turning to a bipartisan bill that would allow Israel access to advanced US military technology such as stealth aircraft and bunker-buster bombs, Issa was skeptical.

"Our stealth capability is unmatched. If strikes are necessary, we don’t need to hand over those weapons — we can do it ourselves, as President Trump demonstrated," Issa said.

The United States attacked Iran’s three main nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan on June 24.