Iran’s removal of monitoring cameras gives ‘fatal’ blow to 2015 nuclear deal: IAEA

Iran on Thursday began removing all the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) monitoring equipment installed under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, giving a near-fatal blow to the chances of reviving the deal.

France, Britain and Germany condemned Iran, saying the move cast a doubt on Tehran's will to revive the accord." These actions only aggravate the situation and complicate our efforts to restore full implementation of the JCPoA (nuclear deal)," the three countries said in a statement. "They also cast further doubt on Iran’s commitment to a successful outcome."

Iran had warned of retaliation if the IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution drafted by the United States, France, Britain and Germany criticising Tehran for its continued failure to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites. The resolution was passed by a crushing majority late on Wednesday.

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Iran told the agency overnight it planned to remove equipment including 27 IAEA cameras as of Thursday, which is "basically all" the extra monitoring equipment installed under the 2015 deal going beyond Iran's core obligations to the agency, IAEA Chief Grossi told a news conference.

That leaves a window of opportunity of three to four weeks to restore at least some of the monitoring that is being scrapped, or the IAEA will lose the ability to piece together Iran's most important nuclear activities. "I think this would be a fatal blow (to reviving the deal)," Grossi said of what would happen if that window went unused.

U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity said even after the three or four week period Iran could still provide additional information to allow for the nuclear deal's revival. "We are not on death watch (for the next) three to four weeks," said a senior U.S. official, saying the deal could be resurrected, although the longer Iran withheld access the more transparency it would have to give the IAEA.

Indirect talks between Iran and the United States on reviving the 2015 deal have been stalled since March."You think we would retreat from our positions if you pass a resolution at the (IAEA) Board of Governors? In the name of God and the great nation of Iran, we will not back off a single step from our positions," Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a speech.

Since then-President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the deal and re-imposed sanctions against Tehran in 2018, Iran has breached many of the deal's limits on its nuclear activities. It is enriching uranium to close to weapons grade.

[with inputs from agencies]

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