IAEA, Iran agree ‘temporary’ fix on inspections: Update

Adds reaction from Iran's parliament speaker in paragraphs 8,9

UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has negotiated a "temporary" deal with Iran to allow its inspectors continued access to Tehran's nuclear facilities for three months. The agreement comes despite Iran bringing in a new law tomorrow that formally scales back its co-operation with the IAEA.

The deal — announced by IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi on his return to Vienna from Tehran late yesterday — should provide some breathing space for talks between Iran and the US over the latter's return to the 2015 nuclear accord, which former US president Donald Trump exited in 2018. Washington's unilateral exit from the nuclear deal led to sanctions on Tehran being reimposed, removing 2mn b/d of Iranian oil from the market.

"We got a good result … after what was a very intensive consultation [and] negotiation with our Iranian counterparts," Grossi said. "In view of the imminent deadline established by a law passed by the Iranian parliament, we believed it was very necessary to have this conversation … to avoid a situation where we, all of a sudden, find ourselves [lacking] information about important activities in Iran."

In line with legislation passed by Iran's majority-hardline parliament in December, from tomorrow Iran will cease its voluntary implementation of the so-called ‘Additional Protocol' — a clause in the nuclear deal that allows for more intrusive inspections of Iran's atomic activities. The law will also end the IAEA's right to make inspections at short notice at locations not previously declared to it.

With this latest "temporary, technical understanding", Grossi said Iran has committed to allow the IAEA to "continue its necessary verification and monitoring activities" for the coming three months and continue to fully implement all the comprehensive safeguards, "as it has been doing so far".

Grossi said snap inspections will also be permitted under the agreement, but not to the same degree as stipulated under the Additional Protocol. "In effect, it is not the same," he said. "But … what we agreed on is something that is viable and useful to bridge this gap that we have now. It salvages the situation now, but of course, for a stable, sustainable situation, there will have to be a political negotiation that is not up to me."

Grossi said that although the temporary deal has been agreed for an initial three months, it can "be stopped anytime" or even extended if needed. Asked if he was confident the new arrangement would allow the IAEA to verify whether Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively for peaceful purposes, Grossi said: "Not as I was before, but in a satisfactory manner."

News of the agreement has been met with some backlash from members of Iran's parliament who argue that it essentially counteracts the legislation it passed.

"As per parliament's legislation, implementation of the Additional Protocol will be completely stopped as of 23 February, and any kind of access beyond the [standard] safeguards is absolutely prohibited and illegal," parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Twitter today. "Any extrajudicial cooperation with the IAEA in the future would require approval by parliament," he said.

Parliament today voted 221-6-7 to refer the move by the Rohani administration to the judiciary.

Washington and Tehran have yet to restart direct engagement, so public statements by officials in the two countries have essentially aimed to frame future talks.

Officials in the Biden administration have repeatedly insisted that Iran must first return to full compliance with its commitments under the nuclear deal, but said last week that a further scaling back of Iran's compliance by downgrading its co-operation with the IAEA would not necessarily close the door on diplomacy. The US offer "will still be on the table", even if Tehran makes good on its threat to cease implementing the Additional Protocol, the State Department said.

By Nader Itayim