IAEA chief Rafael Grossi bats for 'adjustments' in 2015 nuclear deal involving Iran

As talks to revive Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) resume in Vienna, UN nuclear watchdog's chief has recommended that pact be modified to ensure agency's capacity to track Iran's nuclear programme. Speaking to Associated Press (AP), Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that 2015 nuclear deal needs "justments" in 2022 as world is dealing with a very different Iran today. "2022 is so different from 2015 that re will have to be justments that take into consideration new realities so our inspectors can inspect whatever countries agree at political table," he ded. 

United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China, and European Union negotiated an agreement with Iran in 2015 that lifted long-standing economic sanctions in exchange for Iran opting severe limits on gre and quantity of uranium it could refine. Tehran was allowed just 3.67% purity of uranium-235, with only enough of rioactive material to run a few nuclear power plants and medical research facilities. However, in 2018, n-US President withdrew unilaterally accusing Iran of secretly breaking pact. In dition, US put "maximum pressure" sanctions on Iran and initiated aggressive military posturing that brought two countries to verge of war, Sputnik reported.

Since failure of nuclear deal, Iran has begun enriching uranium to 60% purity. country's enriched uranium stockpile is growing day by day, significantly exceeding terms of 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Tehran agree to curtail its nuclear programme in exchange for relaxation of economic sanctions. Meanwhile, country also spins ever-more sophisticated centrifuges, which are also prohibited by agreement. However, last week, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi stated that if United States relaxes anti-Iran sanctions, a "good agreement" will be reached in nuclear talks, Xinhua news agency reported. 

About JCPOA deal

On July 14, 2015, Iran and P5+1, along with European Union, struck a deal on Iran's nuclear programme known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). P5+1 refers to China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States, as well as Germany, as permanent members of UN Security Council. JCPOA is a deal that allows foreign powers to inspect Iranian nuclear facilities in exchange for sanctions relief.  However, since June 2021, efforts on reviving pact and getting Iran back into compliance have been stuck. talks have reportedly come to a halt as Tel Aviv has grually breached terms of deal and widened cap on its stockpile of uranium and increased activities above 3.67% allowed under JCPOA. 

Image: AP