“Obliged by law, we halted voluntary implementation of Add'l Protocol,” Zarif tweeted on Tuesday.
The top diplomat reiterated that the new move is fully compatible with Article 36 of the Iran nuclear deal – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – since Washington is yet to cease the US’ violation of the pact and the European troika still continue to fail in meeting their obligations under the deal.
Zarif also said the recent agreement with Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) shows Iran’s “good faith” and said, “All remedial measures reversible.”
Iran stopped the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol to the NPT and restricted access to the country's nuclear sites early on Tuesday.
The new move comes within the framework of a counteractive law approved by the Iranian Parliament in the face of US illegal sanctions and lack of JCPOA parties' commitment.
Back in December 2020, Iranian legislators passed a law to further accelerate the development of the nuclear program. The law is a firm reaction to Washington’s 2018 withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – and the illegal sanctions the US has imposed against Iran since then.
Following the decision, Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency paid an official day-long visit to Tehran on Sunday and held talks with Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on issues relating to the IAEA's monitoring of Iran’s nuclear energy program.
Iran and the IAEA then issued a joint statement according to which, the two sides have reached a “temporary bilateral technical understanding.”
According to the statement, Iran said it would stop its voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol to the NPT and would deny IAEA inspectors access to its nuclear facilities beyond the Safeguards Agreement as of February 23, 2021 for three months.
However, it added, “Iran continues to implement fully and without limitation its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA as before.”
Iran and the IAEA have also agreed to a temporary bilateral technical understanding, compatible with the Law, whereby the IAEA will continue with its necessary verification and monitoring activities for up to 3 months (as per a technical annex).
MR
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