Head of UN nuclear watchdog meets Iran nuclear chief in Tehran

Iran’s parliament in December approved a bill that would suspend part of U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities under a 2015 nuclear deal if European signatories do not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions by Feb 23.

The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog met Sunday with Iran’s atomic chief ahead of plans to partly suspend United Nations inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities, state TV reported.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi meets with head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization Ali-Akbar Salehi, in Tehran, Iran February 21, 2021. (via Reuters)

Iran’s parliament in December approved a bill that would suspend part of U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities under a 2015 nuclear deal if European signatories do not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions by Feb 23. It would also halt the implementation of an additional protocol that allows the IAEA inspectors to carry out more intrusive inspections to Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Following the 2015 deal, Iran voluntarily agreed to implement the additional protocol.

On Saturday, Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Iran’s nuclear department, said he and Rafael Grossi would meet Sunday to discuss the U.N. agency’s concerns over the halt of the inspections as well as Iran’s cooperation with the agency.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said last week the visit was aimed at finding “a mutually agreeable solution for the IAEA to continue essential verification activities in the country.”