Iran Turns Off 2 IAEA Cameras to Compel Agency to Change Approach

Iran has turned off two surveillance cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency whose operation were beyond the country’s obligations under the Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, following a recent friction between Tehran and the nuclear agency over outstanding safeguards issues. 
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran announced in a statement on Wednesday that the IAEA cameras of the On-Line Enrichment Monitor—a system designed to provide continuous enrichment measurements at gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants, and the flow meter were taken offline.  
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has so far had extensive cooperation with the IAEA, but having failed to consider that such cooperation was out of Iran’s goodwill, the agency has not only been inappreciative, but has also seen it as a duty,” the statement read.  
It noted, however, that 80% of IAEA cameras operate under the Safeguards Agreement and will continue to record data as before. 
The move came after the IAEA director general reported that Iran had not given the agency credible answers on the particles it claims were found at three undeclared sites, although both sides had agreed in March to resolve such open issues by early July. 
The report prompted western countries to draft and submit a resolution to rebuke Iran at the current IAEA Board of Governors meeting which runs until Friday.  
Iranian officials said the report was one-sided and failed to reflect Iran’s extensive cooperation, unfairly calling its arguments invalid. 
Iran decided to stop part of its cooperation beyond safeguards obligations in response, according to AEOI Spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi.
“This practical measure was taken and other measures are being considered, we hope that they come to their senses and answer our cooperation with cooperation” he was quoted as saying by ISNA.
Iran had already been holding footage from these cameras as per a parliamentary law, only to share them with the agency when its demands regarding sanctions lifting were met. 
“We did not give them the data and as of today will not record them any longer,” Kamalvandi said. 
The US reimposed tough sanctions on Tehran in 2018, after unilaterally quitting the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. 
Iran reacted by scaling down its nuclear commitments as well as curbing its voluntary adherence with the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement. 
It later agreed with the IAEA to keep the relevant cameras online, but seal the footage until the sanctions were completely removed. 
Negotiations on the revival of the JCPOA are underway in Vienna, Austria, but have been paused for more than two months over a few remaining differences.