US Concerned Over Iran Plans To Stop Implementing Additional Protocol - State Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd February, 2021) The United States is concerned about Iran's stated intention to stop implementation the voluntary Additional Protocol outlined in the 2015 nucleer agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) this week, US State Department spokesperson Ned price said.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sunday that it will stop the implementation of the voluntary measures regarding inspections as stated in the nuclear agreement.

"We are, of course, concerned to hear that Iran intends to cease implementation of the additional protocol measures this week," Price told reporters on Monday.

Price lauded the IAEA for its continued engagement with Iran, adding that the United States supports IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi's efforts on this issue. Grossi visited Tehran over the weekend to discuss Iran's decision to limit IAEA inspections of its nuclear sites. Iran had threatened to suspend all inspections by February 23 if the US sanctions were not lifted by Monday.

Iran and the IAEA were ultimately able to strike a temporary deal, according to which Tehran will continue to fully implement the Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA past February 23, although in a limited capacity

Following the meetings, Russia called on all parties to the JCPOA as well as the United States to act immediately in order to save the nuclear agreement.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Monday that some room for a revival of the full functionality of the nuclear agreement.

In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with the P5+1 group of countries (the United States, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom - plus Germany) and the European Union. The agreement required Iran to scale back its nuclear program and downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief, including lifting the arms embargo five years after the agreement's adoption. In 2018, the United States withdrew from the JCPOA and re-imposed sanctions against Iran, prompting Tehran to largely abandon its obligations under the accord.

In December, Iran passed a law to increase its uranium enrichment and stop UN inspections of its nuclear sites in response to the killing of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. At the start of January, Iran's atomic energy organization announced that the country had succeeded in enriching uranium at 20 percent at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.