Nuclear Iran
Nuclear IraniStock

Iran announced on Monday that it will refuse to turn back on 27 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cameras until the 2015 nuclear deal is restored, Reuters reported.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the chief of the country’s Atomic Energy Organization made the pronouncement, with Tehran informing the IAEA that it had taken down 27 cameras put up under the 2015 nuclear deal with the West, after the atomic watchdog issued a resolution critical of Iran in June.

“We will not turn on the IAEA cameras until the other side returns to the nuclear deal,” the Iranian nuclear agency’s head Mohammad Eslami said.

A spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry warned the IAEA on Monday that the country’s nuclear program was “galloping ahead” and there was little the atomic agency could do to verify what was occurring.

Nasser Kanaani accused IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi of “unprofessional, unfair and unconstructive views” on Iran’s nuclear program during his weekly press conference, but said Iran would return to the nuclear deal if the US showed goodwill and if a “good and sustainable deal is reached.”

Indirect talks between the US and Iran have been stalled since March, largely over Iran's attempt to force concessions from the US, many of which are unrelated to its nuclear program.

A renewal of talks in Doha, Qatar in late June mediated by the EU did not lead to any progress.

A key sticking point has been Iran’s insistence that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) be removed from the US terror entity list. The Biden administration has said it does not plan to remove the IRGC as a designated terrorist organization.