TEHRAN - The Article 90 Committee of Parliament plans to hold a meeting with the new chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) in regard to the parliamentary approval on lifting sanctions, the committee spokesman has said.

Ali Khezrian said it was important for the parliament to take action in line with the parliamentary law, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

In December 2020 the Parliament ratified a bill called “Strategic Action Plan to Lift Sanctions and Protect Iranian Nation’s Interests”. The legislation was a response to the violation of the 2015 nuclear deal by the West. 

The bill, endorsed by the Guardian Council, tasked the government to limit the IAEA inspections, increase the purity of nuclear enrichment and install advanced centrifuges. 
 
Khezrian said that the law to lift sanctions was an important measure by the parliament regarding the 2015 nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Since the beginning of the implementation of the law, the Article 90 Committee has seriously monitored the implementation of this law and is still determined to pursue it," Khezrian emphasized. 

It is important for the parliament to take action in line with the parliamentary law

The MP noted that the Rouhani administration did not take the right approach to the nuclear case.

"Unfortunately, due to the mistakes made by the previous administration regarding the possible military dimensions (PMD), the political atmosphere against Iran has intensified," the MP remarked.

The parliamentarian went on to say that the Rouhani administration failed to close the PMD case despite extensive nuclear concessions and numerous claims, so one of the topics of discussion with new AEOI chief Mohammad Eslami in the committee would be the issue of the PMD.

Regarding the recent consensus between the AEOI and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Khezrian explained: "This agreement has been made within the framework of the ratification of the Supreme National Security Council, and the parliament will monitor the agreement based on the law on Strategic Action to Lift Sanctions."

Khezrian was referring to a joint statement issued by the AEOI and the IAEA on Sunday in which the two sides “reaffirmed the spirit of cooperation and mutual trust”.

Part of the joint statement says, “IAEA's inspectors are permitted to service the identified equipment and replace their storage media which will be kept under the joint IAEA and AEOI seals in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The way and the timing are agreed by the two sides.”

Rouhani administration did not take the right approach to the nuclear case

Khezrian said the Article 90 Committee was following the interactions between Iran and the international nuclear watchdog with sensitivity.

"The committee will soon have a meeting with the new chief of the Atomic Energy Organization, and one of the topics of the meeting will be the organization's plan for interaction with the Agency and the recent agreement."

Khezrian said that the Raisi administration should make every effort for the full and accurate implementation of the parliamentary law. 

Acting in accordance with the law was important for the parliament and the committee does not make a differentiation between administrations.

Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf communicated the law to the administration for implementation on the same day, December 2, 2020.

What follows is the full text of the law:

Article 1 – In order to meet the nine key conditions, set by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution regarding the nuclear deal, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is obliged to produce and store at least 120 kilograms of enriched uranium with a 20-percent purity level every year for peaceful purposes, and start the process immediately after the ratification of this law. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is also required to fulfill, in full and without any delay, the country’s demand for uranium enriched above 20% for peaceful purposes.

Article 2 – In order to implement Article 3 of the “Proportional and Reciprocal Action Plan for the Implementation of the JCPOA” passed on October 13, 2015, and to achieve the targeted capacity of 190,000 separative work units (SWUs), the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is obliged to, immediately after the ratification of this law, start increasing the country’s monthly enriched uranium output and enrichment capacity with different purity levels required for various peaceful purposes by at least 500 kg, and store and stockpile the enriched materials inside the country.

Article 3 – In order to accomplish the objective stipulated in the Article 29, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is obliged to start the operation of installing, injecting (uranium) gas, enrichment and stockpiling of materials up to the purity level needed, with at least 1,000 advanced second-generation centrifuge machines (IR-2M), within a maximum of three months after the ratification of this law. Within the same period of time, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is also required to start enrichment and Research and Development activities with at least 164 IR-6 centrifuges and increase the number of centrifuge machines to 1,000 within one year after the ratification of this law.

Note: The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is obliged to obtain and implement the standards of the Passive Defense Organization of Iran when it comes to choosing and determining the location of installing and deploying the aforementioned machines.

Article 4 – The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is obliged to inaugurate the metallic uranium factory in Isfahan within 5 months after the ratification of this law.

Article 5 – In line with the Article 4 of the “Proportional and Reciprocal Action Plan for the Implementation of the JCPOA”, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is obliged to optimize and bring into operation a 40-Megawatts heavy-water reactor in Arak’s Khondab, and at the same time design a new 40-Megawatts heavy-water reactor within a timetable with the aim of producing the radioisotopes used in hospitals. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran must provide the Parliament with the timeframe within a month after the ratification of this law.

Article 6 – Two months after the enactment of this law in the Parliament, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be obliged to stop allowing inspections beyond the Safeguards Agreement, including the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol if the other signatories to the JCPOA – including the P4+1 group of countries (Germany, France, the UK, China, and Russia) – fail to fully deliver on their commitments toward Iran and banking relations are not normalized and obstacles to exports and Iran’s sale of oil products are not fully removed and forex proceeds from sales are not immediately and fully returned to the country.

Note: In this article, “Administration” means the Executive branch of power, the cabinet ministers, and all relevant executive bodies.

Article 7 – If the other signatories to the JCPOA – including the P4+1 group of countries (France, the UK, China, Russia and Germany) – implement their commitments and fully remove the anti-Iran sanctions, including those related to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and military programs, human rights situation and the like, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is obliged to provide the Parliament with an accurate report of the measures taken. The National Security and Foreign Policy Committee as well as the Energy Committee of the Parliament will present their assessments of the government’s report to the Parliament.

Article 8 – The president, officials, and managers of the relevant executive bodies are responsible for the precise and full implementation of this law.

Article 9 – Those who refuse to implement this law shall be penalized for second- to a fifth-degree felony, depending on the way they have refused to implement the law or prevented it from being implemented, in accordance with the Islamic Penal Code adopted on April 21, 2013.