Ian Patrick, FISM News
With fears of Iran’s movement towards nuclear capabilities rising, the United Nations announced a first step in a potential return to the controversial Obama-era 2015 nuclear deal with the Middle Eastern nation.
During a visit to Tehran, Director General Rafael Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held meetings with the Vice President and the Head of Atomic Energy Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran (AEOI). Calling the experience “a very constructive trip,” the meetings were focused on formulating a deal between Iran and the international community.
In a joint statement published by the IAEA, Iran agreed to future visitations and consultations from the IAEA as well as inspections and services from the UN watchdog. Most notably Iran agreed to once again allow the IAEA to operate cameras within nuclear facilities to monitor activity.
IAEA’s inspectors are permitted to service the identified equipment and replace their storage media which will be kept under the joint IAEA and AEOI seals in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The way and the timing are agreed by the two sides.
Skeptics have voiced concern that Iran may continue to be insincere in their promises as a report recently showed trace elements of uranium at undisclosed locations. Grossi did say that Iran officials had invited him back to review these concerns in the near future.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was first signed by Iran and many world powers including the United States back in 2015. Advocates for the Obama-era plan say it was meant to discourage Iran from nuclear development by lifting United States-imposed sanctions in exchange for their compliance in a nuclear drawdown.
Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 citing Iran’s lack of adherence to its rules, saying it would instead result in Iran’s nuclear prominence. Upon the withdrawal and reimplementation of sanctions from the United States, Iran began blatantly overstepping the deal. Since Biden’s election, Iran has been trying to pressure the U.S. to lift sanctions in exchange for their compliance with the deal.
Relations between the U.S. and Iran have also been strained by successful U.S. attacks and assassinations of key Iranian figures including a nuclear mastermind and the Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Iran has also made attacks against the United States and its citizens, as well as against Israel, all of which have prompted condemnation and in some cases retaliation.