As the Iranian regime continues to push forward with its nuclear program, consistently breaching the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi has acknowledged that due to damaged surveillance equipment, the nuclear facility in Karaj is not being monitored.

The world powers are desperately trying to revive the nuclear deal, while the regime is blatantly continuing their malign activities regardless. Unless a firm approach is used to bring the regime into line with its commitments under the deal, Tehran will continue its nuclear extortion.

Mahmoud Nabaviyan, a member of the Special Commission for the Investigation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and a member of the board of the Article-90 Commission of the regime’s parliament recently acknowledged that Arak Reactor gave the regime 9 kg of plutonium annually, enough for a bomb.

Grossi confirmed in May that the regime’s level of systematic violations of the JCPOA has made it ‘impossible’ for the original terms of the deal to be satisfied. Meanwhile, the regime has consistently rejected the idea of revisiting the terms of the deal’s agreement.

Grossi struck a deal with the regime back in February to prevent IAEA nuclear monitors from being removed from Iran. However, the regime retaliated by banning the IAEA from accessing the surveillance equipment at their nuclear sites. The IAEA was forced to file reports with unconfirmed estimates of the regime’s stockpile of enriched uranium. They estimated the stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium to be less than 90kg, whereas Mohammad Eslami, the newest head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, publicly claimed that the actual amount had exceeded 120kg.

Another deal was struck by Grossi in September to allow IAEA personnel to visit the nuclear sites to undertake routine maintenance on monitoring equipment.

The regime never honored this deal as Grossi later confirmed. But, by striking such a deal with the IAEA, Tehran dodged possible countermeasures by the IAEA Board of Governors in September, which could have serious repercussions for the regime.

The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell has publicly stated that he remains ‘optimistic’ about the possibility of restoring the JCPOA, despite the regime’s ongoing violations of its terms.

The governments of Britain, France, and Germany triggered a dispute resolution last year when it became evident that the regime would not adhere to the JCPOA’s terms. This should have resulted in international sanctions on Iran if no resolution was reached, but Borrell publicly stated that the process could be drawn out indefinitely.

It should be noted that despite Borrell’s claims that by restoring the JCPOA the world community would be able to control the regime’s nuclear program, Tehran’s rapid advancement in enriching uranium far beyond what it was allowed to do by the JCPOA, shows the deal is highly flawed. In other words, the JCPOA has never been able to seriously control the regime’s nuclear program.

The regime continues to play a game of push and pull against the western powers. They continue their nuclear activities, and when it comes to threats from the international community, they call upon the IAEA for negotiations and deals to buy time to further advance their program.

As the Iranian Resistance has repeatedly stated, reinstating six UN Security Council resolutions, completely halting enrichment, and anywhere, anytime inspections are imperative in preventing the regime from acquiring a nuclear bomb.