Tehran said it has no obligation to provide an answer to the UN nuclear watchdog, which demanded on Friday an immediate reply from Iran on whether it would extend a monitoring agreement that expired overnight, Reuters reported.
"An immediate response from Iran is needed in this regard," the IAEA said in a statement summarising a report by its chief Rafael Grossi to its 35-nation Board of Governors that was also seen by Reuters.
An earlier agreement granted the International Atomic Energy Agency's collection of data on some of Tehran's activities.
Grossi wrote to Iran last week "to understand Iran's position regarding the possible continued collection, recording and retention of data", the report said. As of Friday, Iran had not indicated if it intended to maintain the arrangement, it said.
Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, "said that Iran was not required to comply" with the IAEA head's request, Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim reported.
Washington believes Tehran’s failure to assist IAEA would contradict Iran's stated desire for both to resume compliance with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal as soon as possible, said a US State Department official, according to Reuters.
"Iran should engage the IAEA without further delay to ensure appropriate measures remain in place so the IAEA's continuity of knowledge on JCPOA monitoring can be readily re-established," the US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Tehran and Washington have been holding indirect talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers that imposed restrictions on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for lifting international sanctions.
