BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 4. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seriously concerned that Iran has unilaterally stopped implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, said in his statement to the IAEA Board of Governors, Trend reports.
"I am seriously concerned that Iran has unilaterally stopped implementing the Joint Statement, which raises doubts that Iran remains committed to what we have agreed. I also deeply regret that Iran has yet to reverse its decision to withdraw the designations for several experienced agency inspectors," he said.
Grossi noted that Iran also needs to implement modified Code 3.1 which is a legal obligation for Iran.
"These outstanding safeguards issues stem from Iran’s obligations under its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and need to be resolved for the Agency to be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful," the director general noted.
According to Grossi, public statements made in Iran regarding its technical capabilities to produce nuclear weapons only increase concerns about the correctness and completeness of Iran’s safeguards declarations
"I reiterate that only through constructive and meaningful engagement can all of these concerns be addressed and once again I call upon Iran to cooperate fully and unambiguously with the agency," he concluded.
Meanwhile, on January 16, 2016, Iran's nuclear program triggered the creation of the JCPOA between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany).
However, on May 8, 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group (Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions have affected Iranian oil exports and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
In late 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to implement a strategic plan to tackle the sanctions, citing the non-implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran.
According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear deal. As a result, the control mechanism of the IAEA decreased by 20–30 percent.