Iran living up to nuclear deal terms despite US sanctions: IAEA

As Reported by Qods News Agency (Qodsna) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a quarterly report on Friday that Iran remained within caps on the level to which it can enrich uranium and its stock of enriched uranium in accordance with the nuclear accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The UN nuclear agency's latest report showed that over the past three months, Iran's stock of heavy water had risen from

122.8 to 124.8 metric tonnes and that it held 163.8 kilograms of enriched uranium, up from 149.4 in November.

Both levels are within the limits laid down in the JCPOA.

The IAEA once again reiterated that the agency’s complementary access to Iran’s nuclear sites, which mainly consists of short-notice inspections under the Additional Protocol, continues at all locations that it needed to visit.

US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington in May 2018 from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement, reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Under the 2015 deal, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

Trump's administration announced re-imposition of the “toughest” sanctions ever against Iran's banking and energy sectors with the aim of cutting off the country's oil sales and crucial exports.

US Vice President Mike Pence urged Washington's European allies on February 14 to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and accused them of trying to break US sanctions against Tehran.

Speaking during an anti-Iran summit organized by the United States in Warsaw, Poland, Pence said a scheme set up by the EU to facilitate trade with Iran was an effort to weaken US sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic.

However, Germany and the European Union rejected Pence's call to follow in the footsteps of Washington and leave the nuclear deal in a bid to “isolate” Iran.

"Together with the Brits, French and the entire EU we have found ways to keep Iran in the nuclear agreement until today," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the 2019 Munich Security Conference.

Constructive cooperation between Iran, IAEA

Iran's Ambassador and permanent representative to the IAEA Kazem Gharibabadi said the agency confirmed Tehran's fulfillment of its commitments in its 14th consecutive report since the implementation of the JCPOA.

He added that despite massive efforts by some ill-wishers and enemies of the Islamic Republic to distract attention of the IAEA and the international community from Iran's compliance with the JCPOA terms, Tehran and the agency continue to cooperate in a constructive way.

The Iranian ambassador urged the IAEA to observe the principles of impartiality and professionalism and strongly criticized certain sides for exerting pressure on the international body with political intentions.