IranWatch Daily: July 2, 2025

Mapping the 12-Day War

NUFDI, in partnership with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), mapped over 1,000 reliable reports of Israeli and U.S. strikes against the Islamic Republic during the recent 12-day conflict. Explore the map here.

Islamic Republic Suspends Cooperation with IAEA

President Masoud Pezeshkian today formally ordered the implementation of a law mandating the suspension of all cooperation with the IAEA. The directive was sent to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the Supreme National Security Council, and the Foreign Ministry.  The IAEA told the BBC it is aware of the reports and awaits official clarification from Tehran.  According to the Associated Press, IAEA inspectors are still in Iran despite the suspension order.   The law, passed as an urgent measure a day after the ceasefire, was swiftly approved by the regime’s constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council, last week.

EU and Arab States’ Diplomatic Outreach to the Regime

Following the ceasefire, both the EU and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf renewed diplomatic engagements with the Islamic Republic, hoping to reignite talks between Tehran and Washington.  The EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, in a call with Islamic Republic Foreign Minister Araghchi, urged the regime in Iran to restart nuclear talks.  The Arab states, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are walking a diplomatic tightrope, voicing concern over Tehran’s actions while carefully keeping the door open for engagement.

Katz Urges E3 to Activate Snapback

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on Germany, France, and the UK to activate UNSCR 2231’s snapback mechanism and reinstate all sanctions on the Islamic Republic.  Katz described Tehran’s announcement to suspend cooperation with the IAEA as a “scandalous” move and a complete breach of its international nuclear obligations. Katz urged the international community to act decisively and use all available tools to stop the Islamic Republic’s nuclear ambitions.

Domestic Crackdown Intensifies 

According to state media in Iran, over 800 alleged "Israeli spies" have been detained nationwide, and six have been executed since June 13th. Such allegations are often used by the Islamic Republic’s security forces based on fake evidence and forced confessions. State media reported that police in Tehran have arrested a man for allegedly “publishing images and anti-security content from certain parts of Tehran, especially during the 12-day war, on hostile channels.”  Seventeen days after the execution of political prisoner Esmail Fekri on charges of alleged espionage for Israel, the Islamic Republic has yet to release his body to his family or disclose his burial location. The IRGC announced that they are seeking information on five unnamed foreign nationals in Sistan and Baluchestan Province who allegedly collaborated with Israeli intelligence. The statement added that, “despite extensive field operations, these individuals managed to escape and are currently on the run.” An Islamic Republic court has charged French nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris with spying for Israel in a sham trial, AFP reported citing diplomatic and family sources. The pair who have been detained by the regime for more than three years have also been charged with "conspiracy to overthrow the regime" and "corruption on earth," the report added. "All we know is that they have seen a judge who confirmed the three charges," Kohler's sister said.

On the Radar

• Reuters today reported that the Islamic Republic’s military loaded naval mines onto vessels in the Persian Gulf shortly after Israel’s strikes started.
• The Ministry of Roads and Urban Development announced that the airspace over central and western regions is again closed to international flights, including transit flights, with cancellations at Tehran airports extended until Thursday.
• Despite previously accepting an invitation, President Pezeshkian has informed Brazilian officials that he will not participate in the annual BRICS conference and will instead send a high-ranking representative.
• The Islamic Republic’s judiciary sentenced three cast and crew members of the Iranian film Bidād to prison and fines for charges including “anti-regime propaganda, promoting immorality, and producing indecent content.”
• Fifty-seven Iranian professors, lawyers, and legal experts issued a statement condemning a new parliamentary bill that intensifies penalties for “espionage” and cooperation with Israel and other hostile states. They called it a major blow to the legal and judicial system, citing constitutional protections for civil liberties.
• The Tehran Stock Exchange is undergoing a historic sell-off driven by political risk, rising bond yields, and currency instability, despite state-backed efforts to prop-up the market.
• During the last week, over 72,000 undocumented Afghan nationals and migrants have been deported through Iran’s Dogharoun Border.