It was reported that the United States called on Iran to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring activities, as determined in an agreement that was extended May 24 for a month. Otherwise, Iran would put talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal at risk, the report added.
Being presented at the meeting of the IAEA’s Board of Governors, the US statement notified that “We strongly encourage Iran to avoid any action that would prevent the collection of or IAEA access to the information necessary for it to quickly re-establish…continuity of knowledge.”
Referring to the ongoing talks which have been held in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, Washington also warned Tehran that any possible contrary decision regarding the extension of the monitoring agreement could severely complicate the negotiations that seek reciprocal understanding for returning both Iran and United States to their JCPOA commitments.
The two countries have engaged in indirect talks on reviving the nuclear deal in Vienna through shuttle diplomacy carried out by the remaining parties of the JCPOA. The sixth round of talks is expected to be held this week. Although progress has been made in talks, the senior diplomats participating in sessions see that further discussion on several key issues is required for reaching an ultimate agreement.
Iran and the IAEA reached a three-month monitoring agreement last February following Tehran’s decision to give up its commitments arouse from the 2015 nuclear deal. The deal gave access to the agency to data collected in Iranian nuclear sites. While the nuclear talks are ongoing in Vienna, Iran extended the duration of the monitoring agreement for a month, as a signal of Tehran’s good attitude regarding the negotiations.
However, while the expiration date of the extended deal is drawing on, Rafael Grossi, the head of the IAEA, has recently stated that negotiations being carried to reach an agreement, for the extension of the monitoring deal, are getting harder.
