BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 4. Iran is one of the major countries cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in monitoring and testing its nuclear program, Iranian international affairs expert Kayhan Barzegar said, Trend reported.
According to Barzigar, the IAEA's 2022 report, which was issued in May 2023, stated that there were 628 inspections in 47 nations with an IAEA agreement to monitor all countries but did not comply with extra protocols. Iran had 448 inspections (71 percent).
Barzegar further stated that extra data verification and existing physical inspections should be added to this number of examinations.
He noted that, as part of the Iranian parliament's strategic action plan, many steps are being taken to expand uranium enrichment, research, and development operations, including the voluntary suspension of the extra protocol.
However, Western countries drew the opposite conclusion from Iran's steps, creating a balance in this direction. In their opinion, Iran wants to avoid nuclear control. Political and economic pressure on Iran has increased as a result.
In late 2020, the Iranian parliament adopted a strategic plan to counter the sanctions, citing the non-fulfillment 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 had stopped the implementation of additional measures and an additional protocol included in the nuclear deal. As a consequence, the monitoring mechanism of the IAEA was reduced by 20–30 percent.
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