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BERLIN (AP) — Iran appears to be complying with a 2015 deal with major powers that was meant to stop it from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said Thursday.
The United States pulled out of the pact earlier this month, and wants to impose tough sanctions on Iran, while European powers and Tehran say they are committed to keep working together to save the deal.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said in Vienna, in its first report since the U.S. withdrawal, that Iran continues to stay below the maximum level to which it can enrich uranium and appears to be fulfilling other obligations.
However, the agency criticizes in the report that Iran is slow when it comes to "complementary access" inspections, which are part of the deal.
"Timely and proactive cooperation by Iran in providing such access would ... enhance confidence," the report says.
European powers, including France, Britain and Germany, who are all signatories of the deal, hope that diplomacy and the promise of economic benefits might keep Iran in the fold of the nuclear deal that Europe sees as essential to security.
President Donald Trump had the United States withdraw from the deal because he thinks it fail to guarantee Americans safety from the risks posed by Iran.
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