On May 24, 2021, Rafael GROSSI the General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in Vienna that the three-month agreement with Iran, which was agreed in February, has been extended by one month under the same conditions.

Kazem GARIBABADI the Iranian envoy in Vienna also confirmed the extension until 24 June.

The agreement allows IAEA to maintain its surveillance equipment at Iranian nuclear sites. Iran will hold the tape until 2015 to restore the nuclear deal with world powers and lift US sanctions. Donald TRUMP, the former US president pulled out of the deal in 2018 and imposed new harsh sanctions on Iran.

GROSSI reiterated that “stop-gap” measures were to be taken to prevent IAEA from “flying blind” in implementing its comprehensive security measures in Iran.

“The IAEA never accepts any conditions on its mandate and activities”, GROSSI insisted in the Iranian media in reference to reports that claimed that the country’s highest National Security Council (SNSC) would greenlight the extension contingent to “conditions” that were not named.

The one-month extension provides an opportunity for negotiators from Iran, China, Russia, France, the UK, the EU, and the US to advance their talks.

Mikhail ULYANOV, the top negotiator for Russia welcomed the news in a tweet, saying it will “help maintain a professional atmosphere” at the Vienna discussions and could facilitate an outcome.

After the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran has increased its nuclear activity with uranium enrichment reaching up to 63 %, its highest rate to date, and much higher than the 3.67 %  rate forecast as part of the 2015 agreement. Iran has accumulated over 90 kg of 20-percent enriched uranium, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar SALEHI said on Monday.

Iran is nearing its presidential elections on June 18, after which ROUHANI will leave office in early August when he completes his second term.

This article was edited using the data from Aljazeera.com, Bbc.com, Reuters.com, Insider-voice.com, Granthshala.com and, Global.chinadaily.com.