IAEA, Iran Strike Temporary Deal over Nuclear Inspections

Jakarta: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran have reached a temporary so that monitoring of the country’s nuclear programme can continue.

"We agreed that in view of the law, and in particular the provision that establishes limitations, we have reached a temporary bilateral technical understanding whereby the agency is going to continue its necessary verification and monitoring activities for a period of up to three months," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told a press conference in Vienna on Sunday.



The IAEA chief was speaking shortly after arriving from weekend talks in Tehran to mitigate plans to reduce cooperation this week.

Iran’s Parliament passed a law in December to partially suspend nuclear inspections if the United States did not lift sanctions imposed under the Trump administration.  

The arrangement means IAEA inspectors will have less access than under the 2015 deal on Iran’s nuclear programme, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. 

However, the number of inspectors will not change.

(WAH)