TEHRAN: Speaking about the possibility of restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear program, Behrouz Kamalvandi, the official representative of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, emphasized that discussions are premature without a clear pathway to lifting sanctions on Iran, as reported by Trend News Agency.

According to Trend News Agency, Kamalvandi highlighted that a strategic action plan approved by the Iranian parliament mandates the lifting of sanctions as its primary condition. He stated, “Iran’s goal is to lift the sanctions imposed on the country. If other parties determine the direction by fulfilling their obligations, Iran is also ready to move in that direction.” He further noted the readiness of Iran to engage in negotiations if there is a mutual fulfillment of commitments, focusing on sanction lifting and Iran’s nuclear obligations.

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, is actively seeking to hold discussions a
imed at revitalizing the Integrated Joint Action Plan. Grossi is working to redefine the IAEA’s role in this context. The IAEA had previously monitored Iran’s nuclear activities extensively. However, monitoring was scaled back following the implementation of the Iran Strategic Steps Plan by the end of 2020, which reduced IAEA’s oversight capabilities by 20-30 percent.

Kamalvandi also addressed accusations of nuclear evasion against Iran, stating that these claims, if addressed technically and appropriately, could be resolved quickly, suggesting their political nature. He referenced an instance where claims of 84 percent uranium enrichment by Iran created significant controversy, which were later dismissed by the IAEA as unfounded.

The backdrop to these discussions includes the initial implementation of the JCPOA in January 2016 by Iran and the P5+1 group (the US, Russia, China, the UK, France, and Germany), followed by the US’s withdrawal from the agreement in May 2018 and the reimposition of sanctions on I
ran. This led to a strategic move by the Iranian parliament at the end of 2020 to adopt a plan in the nuclear sector aimed at countering these sanctions, which included suspending additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement.