The IAEA has urged Iran to cooperate as the agency gathers information on Tehran's nuclear program. It confirmed Tehran was preparing to use more advanced centrifuges — further breaching a fragile 2015 nuclear deal.
"Time is of the essence," Cornel Feruta, the acting chief of the UN's nuclear watchdog, told a news conference, a day after holding talks in Tehran.
He added that he was pleased with input so far from Iranian officials and that his message had been "very well understood."
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had been hampering an IAEA investigation into a warehouse in Tehran.
Iran pushing past boundaries of deal
On Sunday, IAEA inspectors confirmed that Iran has installed more advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium.
The agency said that all the centrifuges had been "prepared for testing" but that they had not yet been tested as of the inspection over the weekend. The devices enrich uranium by rapidly spinning uranium hexafluoride gas.
A European Union spokesperson told DW that the IAEA's findings were of "great concern" to the bloc and that it is "extremely worrisome" that Tehran intends to install even more centrifuges, as they could "significantly increase Iran's enrichment capacity."
"We have been clear and consistent that our commitment to the nuclear deal depends on full compliance by Iran," the EU spokesperson said.
Under the international accord, Iran is limited to operating older IR-1 model centrifuges, but inspectors saw several advanced IR-6, IR-4 and IR-5 models.
Iran struggles with US sanctions
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Berlin says centrifuges 'a step in the wrong direction'
The landmark accord, which lifted economic sanctions in return for strict curbs on Iran's nuclear activities, has been threatening to collapse ever since US President Donald Trump pulled out of the agreement last year.
Tehran has been increasing pressure on the remaining signatories — which include Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the European Union — to ease the toll of US sanctions and maintain oil shipments.
European efforts to save the accord have been stalling, although French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed creating a $15 billion (€13.6 billion) line of credit for Iran to encourage it to stay in the nuclear deal.
German Foreign Ministry spokesman Rainer Breul said the government supports Macron's efforts to de-escalate the situation, but urged Iran "to return" to its commitments under the deal.
He added that Germany saw Iran's advanced centrifuges as "a step in the wrong direction."
DW's Teri Schultz contributed to this report.
Iran nuclear deal — treaty under threat
A year after Donald Trump pulled the US from the international nuclear accord with Iran, the Middle East nation announced it would no longer adhere to some "voluntary commitments" in the accord.
Image: picture-alliance/epa/D. Calma
The deal breaker
President Donald Trump announced on May 8, 2018 that he was pulling the United States out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, arguing that the international accord was not in America's "national interest." The decision threw a cloud of uncertainty over the future of the nuclear accord and raised tensions with US allies in Europe.
Image: Reuters/J. Ernst
Slap in the face
Britain, France and Germany lobbied the Trump administration and Congress to remain in the nuclear accord, arguing that the deal was working and a US violation without a follow up plan would be destabilizing. In European capitals, the Trump administration's withdrawal was viewed as a slap in the face of allies.
Image: Reuters/K. Lamarque
Iran scrap 'voluntary commitments'
A year to the day after Trump's announcement, Iran informed the other signatories of the accord that they would no longer adhere to certain "voluntary commitments." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the signatory nations had 60 days to implement promises to protect Iran's oil and banking sectors or Iran would resume the enrichment of uranium.
The decision came after the United States deployed an aircraft, the USS Lincoln, along with a bomber task force to the Middle East. Washington said the deployment was intended as a "clear unmistakable message." Iran said it took action because the European Union and others "did not have the power to resist US pressure."
Image: AP
A triumph of diplomacy
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal, was signed in 2015 by United States, China, Russia, France, Germany and Britain (P5+1) and Iran following years of negotiations. Under the international agreement, Iran agreed to dismantle its nuclear program and be subject to monitoring in exchange for the lifting of international nuclear related sanctions.
Image: picture alliance / landov
Compliance and verification
The JCPOA includes a robust monitoring, verification and inspection regime carried out by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UN watch dog has verified Iran's compliance with the deal in 12 quarterly reports. The JCPOA allows Iran to pursue a peaceful nuclear program for commercial, medical and industrial purposes in line with international non-proliferation standards.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Schlager
Obama's achievement
The Iran nuclear deal was President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy achievement. Seeking to undo nearly every Obama administration legacy, Trump came into office calling it the "worst deal ever." The Trump administration argues the nuclear deal doesn't address other unrelated issues such as Iran's ballistic missiles, regional influence, support for "terrorist" groups and human rights.
Image: Reuters/Y. Gripas
Iranians approved
The nuclear deal and lifting of punishing nuclear related international sanctions created optimism in Iran after years of economic isolation. However, even before Trump pulled the US out of the deal, Tehran blamed the US for holding back international investment and not fulfilling its end of the bargain due to the uncertainty created by Trump's threats.
Image: picture alliance/AA/F. Bahrami
The opponents
After eight years with Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu found the US president he wanted in Donald Trump. The Israeli leader repeatedly slammed the deal despite his own military and intelligence chiefs' assessment the that JCPOA, while not perfect, was working and should be maintained. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the other main opponents of the nuclear deal.
Image: Reuters/R. Zvulun
Who's left?
The EU-3 (Britain, France, Germany) have scrambled to ensure that Iran receives the economic benefits it was promised in order to avoid Tehran pulling out of the deal. As EU businesses face retaliation from the US for doing business with Iran, many are opting to avoid Iran. This would likely be a present to Chinese and Russian businesses.
