The UN atomic watchdog criticized on Thursday Iran because it was not being more proactive in allowing snap nuclear inspections.
In its first such report since US President Donald Trump announced Washington’s pullout from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Tehran remained within limits on the level to which it can enrich uranium, its stock of enriched uranium and other items.
It continues to comply with the terms of its nuclear deal with world powers despite the US withdrawal, it added.
The IAEA released its report ahead of the meetings of the joint committee that includes the signatories of the deal. According to Iran’s IRNA news agency, the meeting will be held on the level of foreign ministers’ aides in Coburg, Germany.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had announced, two days earlier, the launch of negotiations on the level of experts among the signatories. The talks come a week after his tour of Beijing, Moscow and Brussels to discuss the consequences of Trump’s withdrawal from the pact.
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini had announced last week: “Europe offers no guarantees, but vows to keep the Iran deal alive.”
In a related matter, the bureau of the Iranian president announced that he will travel to Switzerland and Austria as part of a tour that also includes China and Russia. President Hassan Rouhani will also contact next week the leaders of France, Britain and Germany – the European signatories of the Iran deal.
This marks the second tour by a senior Iranian official to tackle the repercussions of US pullout.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo set 12 conditions to launch new negotiations with Iran. He demanded Iran make sweeping changes -- from dropping its nuclear program to pulling out of the Syrian war – or face severe economic sanctions as the Trump administration hardened its approach to Tehran.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei retaliated on Wednesday by setting five main conditions on European partners for Tehran to remain in the deal.
European banks should safeguard trade with the Iran, he said. He also stipulated European powers must protect Iranian oil sales from US plans to scuttle them by reimposing global sanctions on Tehran, and to continue buying Iranian crude.
He further said Britain, France and Germany must pledge they would not seek negotiations on Iran's ballistic missile program and on its regional activities, both of which were not covered by the nuclear pact.
