The big picture:
The hindrance dates back to 50 years ago, before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, when the US Congress, passed a law "Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act" in 1954, to maintain its dominance over the nuclear activity of other countries:
- U.S. consent required for enrichment or reprocessing of transferred or produced nuclear materials.
- Separate negotiations needed for agreements permitting enrichment and reprocessing using U.S.-provided material.
- Use of heavy water in nuclear reactors subject to nonproliferation criteria and safeguards.
What he is saying:
Speaking at Iran's Chamber of Commerce meeting on Monday, Mohammad Eslami the Head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI) says the US has applied pressure on Iran for about 30 years through various means, including attacks and assassinations. Iranian governments have negotiated for 20 years, resulting in the JCPOA.
Go deeper:
Iran's international nuclear agreement or the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed between the country and P5+1 countries (Russia, China, UK, Germany, France, and the US) in 2015, to lift the West's sanctions on Iran, but the US scrapped it on May 18, 2018, re-imposing more sanctions on Iran.
IAEA anti-Iran resolution
IAEA Chief Claims JCPOA Requires Revisions Amid Iran's Nuclear Progress
Iran Advances Transparent Nuclear Program Under IAEA Oversight, Says Eslami
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