Iran Opens Ardabil-Mianeh Railway as President Pezeshkian Condemns U.S.-Backed IAEA Resolution

Iran marked the opening of the Ardabil-Mianeh railway with President Pezeshkian speaking via video link, saying the project began 22 years ago and that the government completed the work in 18 months with its full capacity.

Pezeshkian said the railway’s inauguration demonstrated that Iran remained on a path of progress despite crises, wars, sanctions and other issues, adding, “We can show the world that, amid all these crises, our Iran continues on the path of development and efforts to solve problems,”.

Al Jazeera

The Ardabil-Mianeh railway stretches 173 km and is intended to facilitate passenger and freight transportation while strengthening transport infrastructure in northwestern Iran.

On the nuclear front, Iran condemned a U.S.-backed IAEA draft resolution targeting its nuclear program, with the Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Vienna (PMIRAN) criticizing the draft submitted to the IAEA.

TeleSUR reported that PMIRAN said the U.S. president publicly threatened to attack Iran’s nuclear sites again on June 7, 2026, the same day the draft resolution was informally circulated in Vienna.

Al Jazeera reported that IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said Iran-US nuclear talks were in a ‘complicated phase’ and that dialogue with Iran ‘broken’ as Iran and Israel traded fire on Monday, the worst escalation since a ceasefire was reached in April.

In parallel, PressTV said Iran’s permanent mission in Vienna posted a statement on X calling it “ridiculous for the U.S., the aggressor, to submit a draft resolution to the Board of Governors on Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities.”

PressTV

PressTV said the resolution demands that Iran provide information on its enriched uranium stockpile and give the UN nuclear agency access to its nuclear sites, with the draft expected to be submitted for a vote this week to the Board of Governors.

PressTV also said the Board of Governors started meeting on Monday and that to be passed, the draft resolution needs to be approved by the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors.

PressTV further stated that Iran’s mission warned the United States was “begging for adoption of an unnecessary, provocative resolution by the Board, including for verification of the scope of destruction caused by their own aggression.”

PressTV said the mission blamed the U.S.-Israeli war of aggression against Iran, which began on February 28, for destroying or severely damaging several Iranian nuclear sites, making IAEA access and verification impossible.

“X/ @brane_mija64426 June 9, 2026 Hour: 1:05 pm Washington exploits damage to increase pressure through the UN nuclear watchdog”

teleSUR English

PressTV also said that despite a tentative Pakistan-brokered ceasefire in place since early April, Washington maintained a naval blockade and continued threats.

The same PressTV statement said Iran would not accept any IAEA resolution that ignores the destruction caused by the US-Israeli aggression, framing the U.S. accusations of non-cooperation as a response to conditions created by the aggression.

TeleSUR reported that PMIRAN said the U.S. material hostilities and acts of sabotage had severely damaged Iran’s technological and civilian infrastructure, making it impossible to properly implement the IAEA safeguards agreement.

In the Reuters-style context of the IAEA dispute, PressTV added that on June 6 Iran denounced the IAEA for a report Tehran said was a “tool of political pressure” through concerns over lack of access to Iranian nuclear sites.