Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh pointed to a “temporary bilateral technical understanding” between Iran and the IAEA during the visit of the UN Nuclear chief to Tehran on Sunday, saying that no concession has been given to the US within the new agreement.

“No concessions were given to the United States during Mr. Grossi’s visit, and all the agreements made are within the framework of the [counteractive] law approved by the Iranian Parliament,” he said during his weekly presser on Monday.

According to a joint statement released by the IAEA late on Sunday following its Grossi’s Tehran visit, Iran will stop its voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and will deny IAEA inspectors access to its nuclear facilities beyond the Safeguards Agreement as of February 23, 2021 for three months.

“The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) informed the IAEA that in order to comply with the act passed by the Parliament of the Islamic Republic of Iran called ‘Strategic Action to Cease Actions and Protect the Interest of Iranian Nation’ Iran will stop the implementation of the voluntary measures as envisaged in the JCPOA, as of 23 February 2021,” the statement said.

However, it added, “Iran continues to implement fully and without limitation its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA as before.”

Iran and the IAEA have also agreed to a temporary bilateral technical understanding, compatible with the Law, whereby the IAEA will continue with its necessary verification and monitoring activities for up to 3 months (as per a technical annex).

US needs to lift sanctions trap to rejoin JCPOA

Khatibzadeh said the United States needs to lift all the unilateral sanctions the Trump administration imposed on Iran if it seeks to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal, from which it withdrew in 2018.

He noted that the US has not only left the nuclear deal, but it also has left the negotiating room and set a trap in its path hoping that no one will remain in the pact and no one will benefit from it.

the spokesman said the US’ return will not happen simply because it involves many dimensions and legal responsibilities.

“The way to return to the deal is clear: They must first fulfill their obligations under JCPOA, and then they must remove those traps, i.e. sanctions.”

Iran’s national security, defense capabilities non-negotiable

In response to a question on the possibility of negotiating the Islamic Republic’s defensive missile program, Khatibzadeh said, “We do not negotiate with anyone about our national security and the country’s defense capability.”

Iranian prisoners in a grave situation in US

Khatibzadeh referred to the issue of Iranian detainees in the US and said, “The situation of Iranians imprisoned in the United States has always been a priority for Iran.”

He said many Iranian detainees are in poor conditions in American prisons, and in particular, they are treated badly.

Khatibzadeh quoted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s previous proposal to exchange prisoners saying the offer still stands.

“There is still the same solution and the path can continue.”