(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 11. Iran hopes that
cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on
its nuclear program will continue without any political pressure
from third parties, Spokesman for Iranian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Nasser Kanaani said at a press conference in Tehran on
Sept. 11, Trend reports.
“Currently, cooperation between Iran and IAEA on the nuclear
program continues. A meeting of the Board of Directors of the
International Atomic Energy Agency will be held today. The meeting
will include hearings on Iran's nuclear activities, the
implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),
and control issues,” the spokesman added.
Iran states that it cooperates with the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) in only two frameworks: the Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the safeguards rules.
On January 16, 2016, Iran's nuclear program triggered the
creation of the JCPOA between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia,
China, UK, France, and Germany). In May 2018, theannounced its
withdrawal from the deal and imposed sanctions on Iran in November
of the same year. To preserve the agreements reached as part of the
JCPOA, the European signatories of the deal started in January 2019
and a financial mechanism for maintaining trade with Iran called
INSTEX was formed.
On May 8, 2019, Iran announced ceasing to fulfill its
commitments regarding the sale of over 300 kilograms of uranium, as
stated in the deal, basing its decision on the other signatories
that have not fulfilled their obligations.
On July 7, Iran announced that it would not be fulfilling its
commitments regarding the enrichment of uranium at 3.67 percent and
the reconstruction of the Arak Heavy Water Reactor Facility as
stated in the deal.
On September 5 of the same year, Iran announced its commitment
to enrich uranium using next-generation centrifuges and not mix it
with the enriched uranium residues as part of the third step of
reducing commitments in the JCPOA.
On November 5, 2019, Iran announced that it had taken the fourth
step in connection with reducing its commitments to the nuclear
agreement. So, uranium gas is being pumped to the centrifuges at
the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.
On January 5, 2020, Iran took the last fifth step in reducing
the number of its commitments within the JCPOA.
On May 8, 2018, theannounced its withdrawal from the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the 5+1 group
(Russia, China, the UK, France, the US, and Germany) and imposed
new sanctions against Iran as of November 2018.
Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports
and more than 700 banks, companies, and individuals. The sanctions
have resulted in the freezing of Iranian assets abroad.
In discussions on nuclear program, Iran is mainly trying to
achieve the abolition of sanctions imposed by theand Western
countries, the removal of its funds frozen abroad, and the
abolition of the restriction on the export of crude oil. In return,
theand Western countries want Iran not to acquire an atomic
bomb, to keep its nuclear program under control, and to reduce the
level of uranium enrichment.
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