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dpa
Tehran
Iran has officially begun limiting UN nuclear inspections as of Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said, according to state media.
Going forward, Zarif said Iran will no longer implement what is called the Additional Protocol, a set of rules that allows the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to carry out short-notice inspections of nuclear facilities.
Zarif also said that footage recorded by cameras at Iran’s nuclear sites will no longer be shared with the IAEA on a regular basis as was the case in the past.
Tehran had announced last week that it would curb access for IAEA inspectors in a bid to pressure the United States into lifting sanctions and returning to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major powers.
The IAEA inspections are intended to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme serves only civilian purposes.
The new restrictions came into effect despite a last-minute visit to Tehran by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi at the weekend.
After his talks with Zarif and Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi, Grossi said a temporary three-month compromise had been reached that would still allow for some types of inspections for time being.
“There is less access, but still we were able to retain the necessary degree of monitoring and verification,” Grossi said.
New US President Joe Biden has expressed willingness to re-engage with international partners in the so-called P5+1 group - China, France, Russia, Britain, US plus Germany - in an effort to revive the tattered 2015 deal.
Tehran
Iran has officially begun limiting UN nuclear inspections as of Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said, according to state media.
Going forward, Zarif said Iran will no longer implement what is called the Additional Protocol, a set of rules that allows the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to carry out short-notice inspections of nuclear facilities.
Zarif also said that footage recorded by cameras at Iran’s nuclear sites will no longer be shared with the IAEA on a regular basis as was the case in the past.
Tehran had announced last week that it would curb access for IAEA inspectors in a bid to pressure the United States into lifting sanctions and returning to the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and major powers.
The IAEA inspections are intended to ensure that Iran’s nuclear programme serves only civilian purposes.
The new restrictions came into effect despite a last-minute visit to Tehran by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi at the weekend.
After his talks with Zarif and Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi, Grossi said a temporary three-month compromise had been reached that would still allow for some types of inspections for time being.
“There is less access, but still we were able to retain the necessary degree of monitoring and verification,” Grossi said.
New US President Joe Biden has expressed willingness to re-engage with international partners in the so-called P5+1 group - China, France, Russia, Britain, US plus Germany - in an effort to revive the tattered 2015 deal.
