IAEA Chief: Iran Living Up to Nuclear Deal
Assurance offered by Yukiya Amano at Tehran press conference after US President Trump decertifies deal, leaving to Congress whether to reimpose sanctions
The head of the United Nations atomic agency on Sunday said Iran was carrying out its commitments made under a landmark nuclear deal with world powers. "As of today, I can state that the nuclear-related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA (nuclear deal) are being implemented," Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said at a Tehran press conference broadcast by state television. The announcement comes on the heels of a dispute between Washington and Iran over U.S. President Donald Trump's decision this month not to certify Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers. The U.S. Congress now has less than 60 days to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the deal in exchange for restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities. Amano, whose agency is in charge of monitoring those restrictions, says the deal already subjects Tehran to the world's toughest nuclear inspection regime. It includes a ban on high-level uranium enrichment - 20 percent or more - that would take Iran close to the level needed for a nuclear weapon. Amano met with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Iran's Atomic Energy Organization chief Ali Akbar Salehi. "The U.S. president with his actions and words and stances that he has taken, has created a sensitive situation," Salehi said at the press conference. "We have asked Mr. Amano to offer his technical viewpoints neutrally and impartially just like before, in accordance with the scope of his responsibilities and what the IAEA's charter states." Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said Tehran will stick to the agreement as long as the other signatories do, but will “shred” the deal if Washington pulls out, as Trump has threatened to do.