Iran to host UN nuclear watchdog chief ahead of the sanctions deadline

Iranian authorities are set to open talks with Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog on February 20 (local time), a move that comes as a JCPOA deadline nears the end. A lapse in the Tehran imposed deadline would mean that the Islamic Republic could completely block UN nuclear inspector’s access to its territories as a result of America's failure to wave off hard-hitting sanctions. However, with America issuing a stern warning against any detrimental move, Iran has said that it would continue working with the UN watchdog.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a United Nations watchdog that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Last month, Tehran urged the IAEA to avoid publishing any “unnecessary” details about its nuclear programme that might cause confusion. Meanwhile, the details of the latest meeting have not been published as yet, but took to his Twitter to opine that he was wishing for its “success.”

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Iran has notified the IAEA that it will suspend "voluntary transparency measures", notably inspection visits to non-nuclear sites, including military sites suspected of nuclear-related activity if the United States has not lifted the sweeping sanctions imposed by Former American president Donald Trump in 2018. 

Meanwhile, the American administration has agreed to attend a meeting, led by its European allies, that would involve Iran, as it sought to salvage a nuclear deal on a brink of a collapse. In a desperate move to revive the US' broken ties with Iran, the American state secretary accepted the EU political director’s proposal of holding an “informal meeting” between the P5+1 States and Iran. The virtual meeting comes just three days before Tehran could completely block UN nuclear inspector’s access to its territories as a result of America's failure to wave off hard-hitting sanctions. 

JCPOA 

In 2015, the P5+1 nations signed the JCPOA deal with Iran which allowed Tehran to scaled back its nuclear or uranium enrichment program in exchange for promises of economic relief. However, Donald Trump withdrew the US from the pact in 2018, calling the structure of the deal "rotten". The Islamic Republic then retaliated by reducing its compliance with the deal.  

Read: US To Attend 'informal Meet' With Iran As Nuclear Deal Deadline Nears End

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