Iran, which remained faithful to its commitments even after US President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, is not to be loyal unilaterally after transfer of power in the United States and President Joe Biden's insistence on sanctions and the IAEA politicization.
Biden took office in January 2021 after gaining victory over Trump in November 2020 presidential elections.
Iran-IAEA agreement became invalid on June 24; the agreement which had been extended for the first time in February for three months and for the second time in May for one month.
Such extension which hoped to witness lifting of the sanctions did not continue for the third time as the Western side still insists on sanctions and pressures.
On February 23, Iran stopped voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol, in compliance with Majlis' (Iranian Parliament) law. However, some necessary inspections were underway within the framework of Safeguards Agreements up to next three months.
Few days later, Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali-Akbar Salehi said that the cameras installed by the IAEA at the Iranian nuclear sites would be withheld if sanctions are not removed in three months.
Meanwhile, when the agreement was expired, Iran through its goodwill accepted to have the IAEA cameras for more 30 days.
But, Iran is not willing to do it for the third time.
IAEA in a statement on Friday (June 25) said, "An immediate response from Iran is needed in this regard."
However, Iran's Ambassador to the Vienna-based international organizations Kazem Gharibabadi said the same day that Tehran has no obligation to answer to the IAEA's demand.
Now, dispute is over cameras and what they have recorded. Recently, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Saeed Khatibzadeh has said Iran has not still decided about deleting what the cameras have recorded.
Meanwhile, the Western side and the IAEA are concerned about deleting.
Observers and analysts believe that Tehran uses cameras as a tool for putting pressure on the West to lift the sanctions.
Since the start of intensive nuclear talks eight years ago, Islamic Republic of Iran has had close cooperation with the IAEA.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told German news magazine Der Spiegel in October 2020 that the Agency had carried out more than 400 inspections in Iran in 2018.
From the eyes of the experts, if the IAEA continues politicization and US insists on sanctions, decrease in Tehran-IAEA cooperation will be seen.
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