On the return of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to Europe after his trip to the Iranian capital Tehran to discuss with officials on the blocking of IAEA snap inspections expected to take place on 23 February, Grossi announced that Iran will be going ahead with its plan to block the snap inspections which will consequently suspend the Additional Protocol. However, he said the IAEA will continue necessary verification and monitoring for the next three months.
Prior to the Director General’s statements, Iran and the IAEA issued a joint statement underlining that Tehran would continue to adhere to the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, which oblige Iran to allow the agency to conduct monitoring in the nuclear facilities declared by the country.
Iran has been gradually breaching the terms of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) since the US, under the Trump administration, withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and consequently reimposed sanctions. The JCPOA aims to prevent Tehran from achieving a point where it is able to make nuclear weapons, even though it says it has never wanted to build a nuclear arsenal.
