The U.S. Considers Tehran's Decision to be Blackmail

The United States believes that the international community should condemn the calls from the Iranian Parliament to expel International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) observers from the country if sanctions are not lifted, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has stated, according to TASS.

"Iranian authorities are once again using the nuclear program to blackmail the international community and threaten regional security," Pompeo noted.

Previously, Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, a member of Iran's Parliament, stated that Tehran would expel IAEA observers from the country and discontinue cooperation with the agency if sanctions on Iran's financial, banking, and oil sectors are not lifted by February 21.

On December 2, 2020, the Guardian Council approved a law passed by the Iranian Parliament, under which the government plans to increase uranium enrichment levels to 20%. Iranian lawmakers expect this move will force the cancellation of anti-Iranian sanctions.

Following the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, Iran gradually suspended compliance with its obligations under the agreement regarding uranium enrichment and research activities. In January 2020, Iran announced the completion of its process to suspend compliance with its obligations.

On January 1, the director of the IAEA informed the UN Security Council that Iran intends to enrich uranium up to 20%.