Tehran
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European nations on Thursday dropped a planned resolution criticizing Iran at this week's meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog in an attempt to hasten the revival the 2015 nuclear deal, AFP reports.

France, Britain and Germany -- known as the E3 -- had planned to introduce a resolution at the meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) board of governors, with the support of the United States, criticizing Iran's suspension of some IAEA inspections.

However, diplomats said the resolution, which had not yet been formally submitted, will now not be put forward.

One source pointed to "initiatives undertaken by (IAEA Director General Rafael) Grossi" and signs of "good faith" on the Iranian side to explain the decision, according to AFP.

Iran has gradually scaled back its compliance with the 2015 deal in response to former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the agreement in May of 2018.

Last week, the Islamic Republic ended the implementation of the Additional Protocol of the 2015 nuclear deal that allows the IAEA to carry out snap-inspections at sites not declared to the agency.

This move raised the ire of Britain, France and Germany, which have been trying to work towards having US President Joe Biden rejoin the nuclear deal.

"We took the decision late yesterday as the E3 to put the resolution on hold," a French source said on Thursday, referring to "encouraging signs" from the Iranian side.

Those signs "would not have been achieved if the threat of the resolution hadn't been maintained until the end," the source said, adding that an extraordinary meeting of the IAEA's board of governors could be called if progress was not maintained.