BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 5. Iran cooperates with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in only two frameworks, Vice President of Iran and Chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami told reporters after the meeting of Cabinet of Iran in Tehran on July 5, Trend reports.
Eslami noted that the mentioned frameworks are the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and the safeguards rules.
The chief emphasized that Iran has no cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency except as mentioned.
“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran continues its activities within the framework of the strategic action plan approved by the Iranian parliament,” he added.
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 result, the control mechanism of IAEA decreased by 20-30 percent. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, 1,000 units of IR2M centrifuges have been installed.
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 affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
Meanwhile, on June 15, 2023, the spokesman of the AEOI, Behrouz Kamalvandi said in his statement that 10 surveillance cameras were reactivated at the Isfahan Centrifuge Production Center in Iran’s Isfahan Province under the agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran stopped the operation of 29 IAEA surveillance cameras at nuclear facilities in the country. After certain problems occurred at the Karaj Centrifuge Production Facility in Iran's Alborz Province, production has been resumed at the Isfahan Centrifuge Production Center.
On January 2016, Iran's nuclear program triggered the creation of JCPOA between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany). In May 2018, the US announced its withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019 and a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called INSTEX was formed.
On May 8, 2019, Iran announced ceasing to fulfill its commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories that have not fulfilled their obligations. On July 7, Iran announced that it will not be fulfilling its commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as stated in the deal.
On September 5 of the same year, Iran announced its commitment to enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and not to mix it with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of reducing commitments in JCPOA. On November 5, 2019, Iran announced to have taking the fourth step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.
On Jan.2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing the number of its commitments within JCPOA.