DUBAI, 15 February, 2021 (TON): On Monday, Iran said if the parties of the nuclear deal fail to fulfill the obligations, Iran will block snap inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog this month.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said, “If others do not fulfill their obligations by Feb. 21, the government is obliged to suspend the voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol,” “It does not mean ending all inspections by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. All these steps are reversible if the other party changes its path and honors its obligations.

Iran’s statement sets a challenge for the U.S. President Joe Biden in the hope to revive the accord.

The Biden administration aims to return to the nuclear deal, that former administration abandoned in 2018.

The deal made Iran agree to restraint its nuclear program in return for lifting of sanctions.

Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran’s intelligence minister said last week that persistent Western pressure could push Tehran to fight back like a “cornered cat” and seek nuclear weapons. But Khatibzadeh rejected this, citing a religious decree issued in the early 2000s by the Islamic Republic’s top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, banning nuclear arms.

After the Trump administration quit, Iran began violating some limits, however, Washington and Tehran now seek each other to first initiative to return to the deal.