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U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price speaks during a daily press briefing at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 22, 2021. /Reuters
The United States urged Iran again on Tuesday to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying that Tehran is moving further away from compliance under its nuclear constraints, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said.
Speaking at a press briefing, Price said Washington will be in close consultation with the UN nuclear watchdog to discuss appropriate action in support of the agency's dealings with Tehran.
The remarks came as Iran confirmed earlier on Tuesdaythat it has started implementing new inspection restrictions on the IAEA after the U.S. failed to lift economic sanctions by the weekend deadline.
"The implementation of the law began this morning," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told the official IRNA news agency.
Interim arrangements
agreed in talks in Tehran on Sunday mean that the IAEA will not be "flying blind" while "political discussions" on restoring the 2015 deal between Tehran and major powers go ahead, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has said.
Recordings from monitoring equipment the IAEA installed at Iran's nuclear sites to verify its compliance will now be withheld by Tehran until U.S. President Joe Biden lifts the crippling sanctions imposed on the country by former President Donald Trump.
So-called voluntary transparency measures, including snap site inspections, are also suspended.
Zarif said the changes would have no major immediate impact on the work of the IAEA inspectors.
The Biden administration repeatedly said if Iran returns to full compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the U.S. would do the same. But Iran insisted its compliance would only take place once the U.S. sanctions were removed.
(With input from agencies)
