TEHRAN, Mar. 06 (MNA) – Iran’s permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations said that E3 gave themselves another chance by suspending the resolution process at the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors.

"The three countries [Britain, France and Germany] have claimed that by doing so [suspending the resolution process at IAEA BoG], they have given Iran and the IAEA another chance to continue their work on some issues, and reserve the right to request an extraordinary meeting of the Board of Governors at any time," Kazem Gharibabadi told reporters on Saturday.

"I must say that the three countries have, in fact, given themselves another opportunity to act in the light of inaction and non-compliance with their obligations under the JCPOA, on the one hand, and not destroying the atmosphere of diplomacy and cooperation between Iran and the IAEA on the other," he added.

"The cessation of the resolution process is the result of diplomacy and active resistance, as well as significant progress in the nuclear field in the light of the recent law of the Iranian Parliament," Gharibabadi noted, stressing, "Therefore, we warn the founders of any resolution against Iran at any stage and time. If you want to return to the path of confrontation, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to give a strong response, especially in the field of nuclear technology."

It had been revealed to the media in recent days that the United States and the three remaining European countries in Iran nuclear deal were preparing a draft resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors criticizing Iran for ceasing its voluntary implementation of the IAEA Additional Protocol.

In relevant remarks, the French foreign minister claimed on Tuesday night that a "critical" resolution against Iran would be submitted to the IAEA Board of Governors. Jean-Yves Le Drian claimed that the resolution would be presented in the coming days.

On Thursday, Kazem Gharibabadi has said that Britain, France and Germany have scrapped a US-backed plan for the IAEA Board of Governors to criticize Iran. "As a result of extensive diplomatic efforts, the process of issuing an anti-Iranian resolution in the [IAEA] Board of Governors was stopped."

“Eventually, cooler heads are prevailing,” the Iranian diplomat said. He criticized the politically motivated actions and abuse of the IAEA and praised the vigilance and measures of the IAEA members, especially the Board of Governors and the Director-General, for their efforts to avoid unnecessary tensions and to leave the door open for diplomacy.

Elsewhere, Gharibabadi answered a question about the Agency's technical staff visits in April, saying, "Europeans and their media want to see this as a privilege for themselves in the process of halting the resolution. It is up to them if they want to use this issue as a way to preserve their reputation in justifying the resolution process, but I must stress that no new arrangements have been made with the IAEA since the recent joint agreement in Tehran."

"As I said at the meeting of the Board of Governors, the interaction between the two sides in the field of safeguards is not a new issue and exists in the continuation of existing relations," he added.

After the US exit from the world powers' nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018 and imposing the unprecedented sanctions on the Iranian nation which was followed by the indifference of the European parties to the need for compensating Iran's losses as a result of the US violation of the international accord, Iran started reducing its JCPOA commitments in five steps and finally suspended voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol on Monday midnight February 2.

Before ceasing the Additional protocol, Iran had begun enriching uranium to 20% purity in accordance with a piece of legislation approved by the parliament dubbed the Strategic Action Plan to Counter Sanctions in early last December, setting a Feb. 21 deadline for Biden administration to lift the US sanctions.

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