VIENNA: UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Sunday he had negotiated a 鈥渢emporary solution鈥� after two days of talks with Iranian officials to allow the agency to continue its inspections work in the country and allow breathing space for diplomatic negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue.
However, he admitted that even under the new three-month arrangement, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would not have the same level of access once a law comes into force on Tuesday limiting some inspections.
Grossi鈥檚 visit to Iran came amid stepped-up efforts between US President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration, European powers and Iran to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal that has been on the brink of collapse since Donald Trump withdrew from it and went on to impose sanctions on Iran.
Iran鈥檚 conservative-dominated parliament passed the law in December demanding the country suspend some inspections if the US failed to lift sanctions by this Sunday.
Iran had notified the UN body that if the sanctions weren鈥檛 lifted it would suspend 鈥渧oluntary transparency measures鈥� 鈥� notably inspection visits to non-nuclear sites, including military sites suspected of nuclear-related activity.
Grossi said that under the new 鈥渢emporary technical understanding... there is less access, let鈥檚 face it.鈥�
鈥淏ut still we were able to retain the necessary degree of monitoring and verification work,鈥� he added.
鈥淲hat we agreed is something that is viable 鈥� it is useful to bridge this gap that we are having now, it salvages the situation now,鈥� Grossi told reporters after landing back in Vienna.
Iran鈥檚 Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, before meeting Grossi, signalled that the Islamic republic wanted to avoid an 鈥渋mpasse鈥� over inspections, but also warned it could step further away from its commitments if Washington does not lift the sanctions.
Grossi said his hope in going to Tehran was 鈥渢o stabilize a situation which was very unstable.鈥�
鈥淚 think this technical understanding does it so that other political discussions at other levels can take place, and most importantly we can avoid a situation in which we would have been, in practical terms, flying blind,鈥� he added.
Iran鈥檚 deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said late Saturday the 鈥淚AEA鈥檚 inspection capability will be reduced by about 20-30 percent after the implementation of the parliament鈥檚 law.鈥�
Grossi declined to give his own estimate of how much the IAEA鈥檚 inspection capability would be reduced but said that the number of inspectors in the country would not be reduced and that the agency would still be able to carry out snap inspections.
鈥淲e are not violating the JCPOA, we are implementing remedial measures foreseen in the JCPOA itself,鈥� Zarif insisted, referring to the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
鈥淥nce everybody implements their part and their obligations, then there will be talks, and those talks will not be about changing or adding to the agreement.鈥�

Biden has committed to rejoin talks on Tehran鈥檚 nuclear program, in a shift away from Trump鈥檚 policy of 鈥渕aximum pressure鈥� toward the Islamic republic.
Tehran has repeatedly said it is ready to return to its nuclear commitments, on the condition Washington makes the first move by lifting the sanctions that have heaped economic pain on Iran.
Zarif said that, from Iran鈥檚 point of view, 鈥渘othing has changed,鈥� as the Biden administration had so far followed the same Iran policy as his predecessor.
Iran鈥檚 top diplomat warned that if US sanctions are not lifted, Iran will continue scaling back its commitments under the deal it agreed in 2015 with the five UN Security Council permanent members and Germany.
The stockpile of 鈥渆nriched uranium will increase,鈥� he said, stressing that Tehran has the right within the deal to stop observing commitments 鈥渢otally or partially鈥� if the other parties fail to honor theirs.
鈥淲e are still in the partial phase,鈥� Zarif said. 鈥淲e can be total.鈥�
The European Union鈥檚 political director, Enrique Mora, on Thursday proposed via Twitter an 鈥渋nformal meeting鈥� involving Iran 鈥� and Washington accepted in principle.
Araghchi said Saturday that 鈥渨e are reviewing (this) proposal鈥� and Iran was discussing the issue with 鈥渇riends and allies such as China and Russia.鈥�