VIENNA: The failure of the 2015 accord between Iran and world powers to restrict Tehran鈥檚 nuclear program would be a 鈥済reat loss,鈥� the head of the UN鈥檚 atomic watchdog said Monday.
International Atomic Energy Agency director general Yukiya Amano said Iran was, as of today, 鈥渋mplementing its nuclear-related commitments鈥� under the deal.
US President Donald Trump has been a harsh critic of what he calls the agreement鈥檚 鈥渄isastrous flaws.鈥�
In January, he set a 120-day deadline for US lawmakers and European allies to 鈥渇ix鈥� the agreement or face a US withdrawal.
In a speech opening a meeting of the IAEA鈥檚 board of governors, Amano said the deal 鈥渞epresents a significant gain for verification鈥� and that if it 鈥渨ere to fail, it would be a great loss for nuclear verification and for multilateralism.鈥�
Last month an IAEA report showed that Iran was continuing to abide by the deal鈥檚 key measures.
Amano said inspectors had had 鈥渁ccess to all the sites and locations which we needed to visit.鈥�
He added that the agency had requested 鈥渇urther clarifications鈥� over notification Iran gave the agency in January that it intended to construct 鈥渘aval nuclear propulsion鈥� at some point in the future.
Trump is concerned that parts of the deal start to expire from 2026 and that it fails to address Iran鈥檚 missile program, its regional activities or its human rights abuses.
A US exit could kill the deal, which the Islamic republic has refused to renegotiate.
While Iran has reaped massive economic benefits from the accord, notably by being able to resume oil exports, it is still constrained by US sanctions in other areas.
Iran nuclear accord failure would be 鈥榞reat loss鈥�, IAEA chief says
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