Amano: The Agency Has Requested Information and Access to Certain Facilities in Iran

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that the new U.S. government has not yet made a decision regarding the Iran nuclear agreement. Yukiya Amano, following his negotiations in Washington, said at a press conference in Vienna on Monday, March 6, "The new U.S. government has just begun its work and they are reviewing this issue." He noted that the U.S. government is examining "not only this matter but many issues. Therefore, it is too early for them to provide an assessment in this regard." However, Reuters quoted Amano as saying, "I am confident that we can have very good cooperation with the United States in the future" regarding the nuclear agreement. In another part of his remarks, he referred to the January report in his speech to the Board of Governors, stating that Iran has transferred its abandoned reactors from Fordow to Natanz and stored them there under the continuous supervision of the Agency. One of the most important aspects of Yukiya Amano's statements was about the current implementation of the Additional Protocol in Iran. Amano said Iran has announced that it is acting in accordance with the Additional Protocol and has registered this announcement with the Agency. "We are examining and verifying this announcement, but reaching a conclusion will take time," he added. According to Amano, the Agency has requested some information and access to certain facilities for verifying the implementation of the Additional Protocol in Iran. Iran voluntarily implemented the Additional Protocol for two years in 2003, but is now required to sign this protocol under the nuclear agreement. The Director General of the Agency held discussions with Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State, and other senior officials in Washington for the first time since the Trump administration took office in January. The U.S. President had declared during his election campaign that the nuclear deal between six world powers and Iran was "the worst deal ever" and that he would "tear it up" if he came to power. However, the U.S. Secretary of State stated during a Senate confirmation hearing that Washington would conduct a complete review of the agreement. Iran has rejected these statements. Tillerson also denied reports attributed to him on February 17 regarding the U.S. desire to "tear up" the JCPOA, saying, "I did not have such an opinion." Under this agreement, reached in July last year, Iran suspended many of its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions related to Tehran's nuclear activities. The IAEA monitors the implementation of this agreement, known as the JCPOA. Amano stated on Monday that the basis of this agreement is "verification." Despite the new U.S. government's strong criticisms of the JCPOA, none of the other negotiating parties with Iran, including Britain, Russia, China, France, and Germany, are calling for an end to this agreement. In its latest report published on February 25, the Agency announced that Iran has adhered to its commitments and that even the amount of its uranium reserves is below the ceiling set in the JCPOA.