Iran Ignores Demands by IAEA for Monitoring Extension

Iran has refused to engage with the United Nations’ watchdog tasked with monitoring its nuclear facilities, after an interim pact between the two that temporarily extended oversight over Iran’s activities following the Iranian parliament’s ending of a previous agreement, expired over the weekend.

The International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday called on the Islamic Republic to immediately clarify whether it would allow further surveillance of its nuclear plants, after the agency’s chief Rafael Grossi last week wrote to Iranian officials “to understand Iran’s position regarding the possible continued collection, recording and retention of data,” an IAEA report said.

Iran’s ambassador to the UN body, Kazem Gharibabadi, replied on Saturday that his country “was not required to comply” with the request for response. According to the monitoring deal which expired on Friday, the IAEA was allowed to place cameras in several agreed-upon locations, and will only review the tapes, delivered by Iranian authorities, at a later date.

Tehran and Washington have held several rounds of indirect negotiations in recent months over a return to the abandoned 2015 nuclear deal.