Tehran stopped adhering to the provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2019 due to the US withdrawal from the accord and introduction of sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Iran noted that since the remaining signatories had failed to protect it from the US sanctions, it's no longer obligated to abide by the accord.
Iran's Guardian Council has approved a bill on the "revitalisation" of nuclear activities, which was previously passed by the country's parliament, Fars news agency reported. The new law orders a halt to the implementation of the Additional Protocol of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Safeguards Agreement and thus suspends the inspections carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The adopted law will reportedly be transferred to the Iranian government for further implementation.
According to the new piece of legislation, if sanctions against Iran are not lifted within two months, the country will abandon most of the limitations that were imposed under the Joint Comprehensive Plan for Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. The country will also stop allowing IAEA inspections at its nuclear sites.
The legislators initially eyed a one-month deadline for lifting sanctions, but extended it after an objection from the Guardian Council – a powerful 12-member body that determines whether or not adopted laws violate Iran's constitution. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, however, criticised the law, stressing that it would hurt the Islamic Republic's interests.
"The government does not agree with this plan. We believe that it will harm the active diplomatic activities", Rouhani said