TEHRAN- The chief of the UN’s nuclear watchdog has emphasized the necessity of restarting negotiations to save the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, stating that failure to do so would result in a rapid deterioration of the situation.

Rafael Grossi stated on Tuesday that while progress is “not impossible,” the diplomatic effort to revive the nuclear agreement, or the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), “is not at its best position.”

During a speech at the London-based Chatham House think tank, he said, “I want to be able to re-set, reestablish, and deepen that vital discourse. If we don’t do that, things will only grow worse.”

Grossi said that despite the deadlock in the negotiations, he was still hopeful for success.

“I wouldn’t despair in the sense that the JCPOA cannot be revived,” he added. 

“I’m not saying yes JCPOA or no JCPOA. The important thing is to keep the non-proliferation rule strongly in place, and so we will see,” he said. “The next few weeks and months will be crucial to determine whether there is a possibility.”

In other parts of his remarks, Grossi expressed sorrow at the disclosure of private information regarding Iran’s Fordow nuclear plant and said that the agency lacked the tools necessary to control and monitor the situation.

Although he said that the agency takes “rigorous procedures” to preserve sensitive reports, he called it “difficult” and “impossible” to manage the flow of information.