US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy, saying the president is "not afraid to try diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves."

Pompeo was speaking at a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) gathering in Orlando, Florida on Monday.

Pompeo said the U.S. is maintaining pressure on North Korea while "keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy."

He also got a laugh when he said he thinks that he's spent more time with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un than any other American, "now surpassing Dennis Rodman."

Pompeo also announced the U.S. is imposing sanctions on Zhuhai Zhenrong Limited and its chief executive for violating restrictions on Iran's oil industry.

The U.S. sanctions are part of the Trump administration's effort to increase pressure on Iran by starving its economy.

Oil exports are Iran's largest source of foreign income and the U.S. campaign has raised tensions between the two countries.

China has continued to import Iranian oil as other countries have stopped out of fear of U.S. penalties.

Pompeo also insisted that "America First does not mean America alone."

Despite tensions between the U.S. and traditional allies over NATO funding, the Iran nuclear deal and international trade, he said that relations are strong between the U.S. and allies in Eastern Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Pacific region.  

And he said U.S. relations with Israel were "unequalled."

He also promised that the administration would keep as a top priority getting the remains of any fallen soldiers returned to the U.S.

Finally, Pompeo briefly touched on the administration's effort to protect U.S. service personnel from prosecution by the International Criminal Court.

Earlier this year, Pompeo announced the U.S. would repeal or deny visas to any ICC staff trying to investigate Americans in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room, or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces," he said.

POOL

Orlando, Florida - 22 July 2019

1. Wide of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"President Trump is unafraid. He's not afraid to try diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves. You've seen this. You've seen this on North Korea where we came into office and found that appeasement wasn't working and neither did neglect. So we're maintaining pressure on the North Korean regime while keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy. I had the chance to meet with Chairman Kim (Jong Un) on multiple occasions. Indeed I think I've spent more time with Chairman Kim than any other American, now surpassing Dennis Rodman (laughter)."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"And on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the nuclear deal. It only made the machine regime more aggressive. So we've re-engaged with allies to exert pressure on that regime. All we ask of them is all America ever asked. We just want them to behave like a normal nation. And today, as part of that maximum pressure campaign, I'm announcing that the United States is imposing sanctions on the Chinese entity Zhuhai Zhenrong and its chief executive, Youmin Li. They violated U.S. law by accepting crude oil. We've said all along that any sanction will indeed be enforced. We can't tolerate more money going to the Ayatollah, putting American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and putting their lives at risk. It's too important."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"America first does not mean America alone. Indeed, other nations are rolling up their sleeves to work alongside of us. We're restoring friendships that were neglected for a long, long time. From Eastern Europe, to our partners in the Gulf, to the Pacific Islands. And of course our relationship with Israel is unequalled. It's a democracy. It stands for the same things that we do here in America. That relationship is stronger than it's ever been. We're very proud of that."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I remember sitting in the room negotiating with my my counterpart as a former senior North Korean general. And I remember talking to him and I think he was perplexed that we put this as the first among the items we wanted to talk about. Every one of you understands why we put that first, and why we'll continue to work on this. We will not stop working on this until every one of our fallen heroes and their remains have been returned to the United States of America."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I want to mention, too, there is a threat that some of you know about. There are rogue courts international courts that have threatened to bring American soldiers, sailors and marines to dock, to bring them to justice. This is wrong. This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces."

7. Wide of Pompeo shaking hands with vets after speech

Speaking to a VFW gathering in Orlando, Fla., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy, saying the president is "not afraid to try to diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves."

Pompeo said the U.S. is maintaining pressure on North Korea while "keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy."

He also got a laugh when he said he thinks that he's spen more time with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un than any other American, "now surpassing Dennis Rodman."

Pompeo also announced the U.S. is imposing sanctions on Zhuhai Zhenrong (ZHOO-hi ZHEN-wrong) Limited and its chief executive for violating restrictions on Iran's oil industry.

The U.S. sanctions are part of the Trump administration's effort to increase pressure on Iran by starving its economy. Oil exports are Iran's largest source of foreign income and the U.S. campaign has raised tensions between the two countries.

China has continued to import Iranian oil as other countries have stopped out of fear of U.S. penalties.

Pompeo also insisted that "America First does not mean America alone."

Despite tensions between the U.S. and traditional allies over NATO funding, the Iran nuclear deal and international trade, he said that relations are strong between the U.S. and allies in Eastern Europe, the Persion Gulf and the Pacific region.  And he said U.S. relations with Israel is "unequalled."

He also promised that the administration would keep as a top priority getting the remains of any fallen soldiers returned to the U.S.

Finally, Pompeo briefly touched on the administration's effort to protect U.S. service personnel from prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Earlier this year, Pompeo announced the U.S. would repeal or deny visas to any ICC staff trying to investigate Americans in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room, or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces," he said.

POOL

Orlando, Florida - 22 July 2019

1. Wide of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"President Trump is unafraid. He's not afraid to try to diplomatic tactics where the old ones were simply not getting the outcomes that America needs and deserves. You've seen this. You've seen this on North Korea where we came into office and found that appeasement wasn't working and neither did neglect. So we're maintaining pressure on the North Korean regime while keeping an outstretched hand for diplomacy. I had the chance to meet with Chairman Kim on multiple occasions. Indeed I think I've spent more time with Chairman Kim than any other American now surpassing Dennis Rodman (laughter)."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"And on the Islamic Republic of Iran, the nuclear deal. It only made the machine regime more aggressive. So we've re-engaged with allies to exert pressure on that regime. All we ask of them is all America ever asked. We just want them to behave like a normal nation. And today, as part of that maximum pressure campaign, I'm announcing that the United States is imposing sanctions on the Chinese entity Zhuhai Zhenrong and its chief executive, Youmin Li. They violated U.S. law by accepting crude oil. We've said all along that any sanction will indeed be enforced. We can't tolerate more money going to the Ayatollah, putting American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and putting their lives at risk. It's too important."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"America first does not mean America alone. Indeed, other nations are rolling up their sleeves to work alongside of us. We're restoring friendships that were neglected for a long, long time. From Eastern Europe, to our partners in the Gulf, to the Pacific Islands. And of course our relationship with Israel is unequalled. It's a democracy. It stands for the same things that we do here in America. That relationship is stronger than it's ever been. We're very proud of that."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I remember sitting in the room negotiating with my my counterpart as a former senior North Korean general. And I remember talking to him and I think he was perplexed that we put this as the first among the items we wanted to talk about. Every one of you understands why we put that first, and why we'll continue to work on this. We will not stop working on this until every one of our fallen heroes and their remains have been returned to the United States of America."

+++BLACK FRAMES+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State:

"I want to mention, too, there is a threat that some of you know about. There are rogue courts international courts that have threatened to bring American soldiers, sailors and marines to dock, to bring them to justice. This is wrong. This administration has moved heaven and earth to prevent them from wrongfully prosecuting anyone in this room or anyone other who has served in the United States armed forces."

7. Wide of Pompeo shaking hands with vets after speech

Iran warned the Biden administration on Tuesday that it will not have an indefinite time period to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.

The remarks by Iran's Cabinet spokesman Ali Rabiei are part of pressure that Tehran is trying to exert on the US as it seeks to increase its leverage and get the Biden administration to quickly return to the deal.

Though President Joe Biden has pledged to return to the nuclear deal, Rabiei said there has yet to be any communication between Iran and Biden on the subject.

In the meantime, Rabiei added that Iran would take a step further away from the nuclear deal by imposing a “restriction” on inspections by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in late February.

In December, Iran's parliament approved a law under which part of the inspections that the deal had provided for would be suspended in February if European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal do not offer relief from oil and banking sanctions.

Iran also said it expects Washington to swiftly lift crippling economic sanctions that former President Donald Trump imposed on the country after pulling America out of the atomic accord in 2018, as part of what he called maximum pressure against Iran.

Trump cited Iran’s ballistic missile program among other issues in withdrawing from the accord.

And when the Trump administration increased sanctions, Iran gradually and publicly abandoned the deal’s limits on its nuclear development.

++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto 1 or Iran International any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down that organization in Tehran.++

ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN / NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN / NO ACCESS MANOTO TV / NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL

Tehran, Iran - 26 January 2021

1. Iranian Government spokesman Ali Rabiei heading to podium for weekly briefing

2. Journalists at press conference

3. News conference

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Rabiei, Iranian Government spokesman:

"The US does not have all the time in the world and the window of opportunity (to return to nuclear deal) will not be open forever, either for the US or the European members of the nuclear deal to fulfil their commitments. We hope that before issues have gotten more complicated, the US administration will take practical actions and decisions to prove its good will and build confidence."

5. News conference

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Rabiei, Iranian Government spokesman:

"Based on the schedule mentioned in a law passed by the (Iranian) parliament, the first steps in limiting the inspections of the (International Atomic Energy Agency's) additional protocol will begin in late February (2021). However, you should note that inspections related to the (IAEA) safeguard commitments will continue to remain in place. Most of the inspections and surveillance cameras have to do with these safeguard commitments, which will remain unchanged."

7. Rabiei leaving conference

Republican Donald Trump is receiving an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticizes Democrats and vows to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump is telling veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

Republican Donald Trump is receiving an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticizes Democrats and vows to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump is telling veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

POOL

Charlotte, North Carolina - 26 July 2016

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. Mid of Donald Trump walking to podium

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The veterans health system will remain a public system because it is a public trust, but never again will we allow any veteran to suffer or die waiting for care. That means veterans will have the right to go to a VA facility, or the right to see a private doctor, or clinic of their choice whatever is fastest and best for the veteran."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"There will be no more five-day waits in line. If you are waiting in line, you're going to go to a private doctor across the street, a private or public hospital across the street or nearby and you are going to be taken care of quickly and efficiently. People are waiting in line five days, six days, seven days and many are dying. With a simple procedure they would live and they're dying because they can't even get to see their doctor. So there's not going to be anymore of that, and we will pick up the bill."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The other candidate in this race, you know her name, Crooked Hillary Clinton, and believe me folks, she is crooked, has a much different view. She recently said of the VA (Veterans Administration) scandal that it's not as widespread as it's been purported to be. It's like she's trying to sweep it under the rug, which by the way politicians have done for years and years and years. It's going to be four more years of the same if she ever got in. But that's not going to happen."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"We know how she takes care of the veterans. Just look at her invasion of Libya, and her handling of Benghazi. A disaster. Or look at her emails, which put America's entire national security at risk.(Audience members "Lock her up, lock her up.")

"And to think she was here yesterday. I guess she didn't do very well."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"We're going to bring honesty back to government, and that starts with fixing the Veterans Administration. We will fix it."

7. Mid of Trump shaking hands after speech

Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney met his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on Sunday.

The Republic of Ireland has the role of facilitator in the implementation of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Former US president Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear accord, in which Tehran had agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

When the US then reimposed some sanctions and added others, Iran gradually and publicly abandoned the deal's limits on its nuclear development.

Earlier in the day, during a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani, Coveney said the withdrawal by Trump was a mistake and noted that the new US administration is determined to return to the deal.

In December, Iran's parliament approved a bill that calls for the suspension of part of UN inspections of its nuclear facilities if European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal do not provide relief from oil and banking sanctions.

++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media

++ are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto TV or Iran

++ International any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media

++ violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down

++ that organization in Tehran.++

Tehran - 7 March 2021

1. Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Simon Coveney, being greeted by Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, bump elbows, stand for photos

2. Irish officials heading to meeting room

3. Iranian and Irish flags

4. Wide of meeting

5. Close of Coveney

6. Wide of meeting

7. Pan to left from Coveney and colleagues to Zarif

8. Wide of meeting

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus060069

Republican Donald Trump received an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticized Democrats and vowed to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump told veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus060069

Republican Donald Trump received an enthusiastic response from veterans as he criticized Democrats and vowed to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Trump told veterans gathered at the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Charlotte that: "Our politicians have totally failed you."

Trump offered a 10-step fix for the VA healthcare system, including asking Congress to pass legislation giving the VA secretary more authority to remove poor employees, plus increasing outreach and the number of mental health care professionals in the system.

Clinton on Monday spoke at the same gathering and offered a scathing critique of Trump's foreign policy, casting him as too reckless to serve as the country's commander in chief.

But when Trump mentioned Clinton's name on Tuesday, it was met with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Trump jokes, "I guess she didn't do very well" with the crowd.

POOL

Charlotte, North Carolina - 26 July 2016

+++WHITE FLASHES BETWEEN SOUNDBITES+++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The veterans health system will remain a public system because it is a public trust, but never again will we allow any veteran to suffer or die waiting for care. That means veterans will have the right to go to a VA facility, or the right to see a private doctor, or clinic of their choice whatever is fastest and best for the veteran."

+++WHITE FLASH+++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"There will be no more five-day waits in line. If you are waiting in line, you're going to go to a private doctor across the street, a private or public hospital across the street or nearby and you are going to be taken care of quickly and efficiently. People are waiting in line five days, six days, seven days and many are dying."

+++WHITE FLASH+++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"The other candidate in this race, you know her name, crooked Hillary Clinton, and believe me folks, she is crooked, has a much different view. She recently said of the VA scandal that it's not as widespread as it's been purported to be. It's like she's trying to sweep it under the rug, which by the way politicians have done for years and years and years. It's going to be four more years of the same."

+++WHITE FLASH+++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"Just look at her invasion of Libya, and her handling of Benghazi, a disaster, or look at her emails, which put America's entire national security at risk.(Audience members "Lock her up, lock her up.")

"And to think she was here yesterday. I guess she didn't do very well."

+++1 SECOND OF BLACK+++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, (R) Presidential Nominee:

"We're going to bring honesty back to government, and that starts with fixing the Veterans Administration. We will fix it."

An Iranian presidential candidate on Wednesday said he would be willing to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden if he wins his country's election next week, but said that "America needs to send better and stronger signals" to the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to The Associated Press, former Iranian Central Bank chief Abdolnasser Hemmati stressed that an American return to Iran's tattered nuclear deal was key to any possible relationship amid the wider tensions in the MidEast.

"I think we haven't seen anything serious from Mr. Biden's side yet," Hemmati said. "They first need to go back to the (nuclear deal) that they withdrew from. If we see the process and more confidence is built, then we can talk about that."

Hemmati, 64, is one of the seven candidates approved by Iranian authorities to run for the presidency in the Islamic Republic's June 18 election.

Polling and analysts suggest he lags in the race behind hard-line judiciary chief and front-runner Ebrahim Raisi, believed to be a favorite of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

While Khamenei has final say on all matters of state, whoever serves as president can affect domestic issues and set the tone for Iran's broader approach with the world.

Outgoing President Hassan Rouhani, a relatively moderate cleric within Iran's theocracy, helped his nation reach its landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

However, Rouhani has struggled with the fallout of then-President Donald Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw America from the accord in 2018. That's seen crushing sanctions target Iran and Tehran later abandoned all the limits on its nuclear program.

It now enriches small amounts of uranium to 60% purity - a record high, though still short of weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Talking to AP journalists at his Tehran office, Hemmati repeatedly said that the signal Iranians hoped to see from the U.S. was Washington's return to the nuclear deal.

"The Americans have sent positive signals but those signals haven't been strong enough," he said. "If there are stronger signals, it will affect how optimistic or pessimistic we are."

Asked about whether Iran would be willing to accept further restrictions, such as on its ballistic missile program to get sanctions relief, Hemmati said Tehran would refuse such an offer.

"Iran's nuclear commitments must be inside the framework of the (deal)," he said. "If they are not, neither the (supreme) leader nor the president will accept that."

++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media

++ are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian, Manoto TV or Iran

++ International any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media

++ violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down

++ that organization in Tehran.++

ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN / NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN / NO ACCESS MANOTO TV / NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL

Tehran - 9 June 2021

1. Photographers taking photos of Abdolnasser Hemmati, presidential candidate at his headquarters in Tehran

2. Close of Hemmati posing for photo

3. Hemmati entering room for interview

4. Cutaway of Hemmati's hands

5. Mid of Hemmati

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"If this is within the framework of the general policies of the system, I'll definitely do that (meeting president Joe Biden)."

7. Close of Hemmati's hand

8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"So far Americans have sent some positive signals, but their signals are not strong enough. If stronger signals are received, well one's optimism or pessimism could be affected. Nothing serious or fundamental has been seen yet."

9. Close of Hemmati

10. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"They first need to go back to this nuclear deal that they withdrew from; then we can see the process and trust is built; then we can talk about it."

11. Close of Hemmati

12. Hemmati posing for photo

13. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"I think right now we can't talk about the relations or policy towards America without the accurate implementation of the JCPOA. I think If America meets its JCPOA and returns to it, and Iran has also accepted to remain committed to the JCPOA, this is a positive step, and it can pave the way for thinking about next steps."

14. Hemmati taking off face mask and posing for photo

15. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"Against those five people, who belong to the same political front, I don't count them as rivals. My rival is people's breakup with the ballot box. If, God willing, people end this breakup, definitely I will have no rivals and I will win."

16. Hemmati posing for photo

17. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Abdolnasser Hemmati, Iranian presidential candidate:

"We managed to neutralize the sanctions and run the economy over the past three years of difficult sanctions. Definitely, I have plans for that (scenario) as well, but we will try to make the deal reach positive results, god willing."

18. Hemmati posing for photo

The Iranian government said on Monday it would stop voluntary implementation of the International Atomic Energy Agency's "Additional Protocol" which gives the UN watchdog extra access to Iranian sites and information related to the country's nuclear activities.

The move comes after the Iranian parliament approved a bill in December that would suspend some U.N. inspections of its nuclear facilities if European signatories failed to lift certain sanctions by this Tuesday.  

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh made the announcement a day after the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held talks with officials in Tehran.

Khatibzadeh said both sides agreed that for the next three months, surveillance cameras set up by the IAEA at Iranian nuclear facilities would continue to film, but the IAEA would not have access to their recordings.  

Under the "Additional Protocol" with Iran, the IAEA “collects and analyzes hundreds of thousands of images captured daily by its sophisticated surveillance cameras,” the agency said in 2017. The agency also said then that it had placed “2,000 tamper-proof seals on nuclear material and equipment.”

After an emergency trip to Iran Sunday, Rafael Grossi, the nuclear watchdog's chief, said the IAEA had reached a "technical understanding" with Tehran to continue to allow monitoring of its nuclear programme for up to three months.

But his remarks to journalists underlined a narrowing window for the U.S. and others to reach terms with Iran, which is already enriching and stockpiling uranium at levels far beyond those allowed by its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

"What happened between Iran's Atomic Energy Agency and the IAEA is a technical agreement that is designed to prevent the relationship between Iran and IAEA from being spoiled while sticking with the law passed by the parliament," Khatibzadeh said.

Khatibzadeh was asked if the United States might be able to participate in informal talks with the three European signatories of the nuclear deal.

"As long as the United States has not lifted the sanctions, it is not in a position to be a part of the nuclear deal and cannot be present," he said.

In 2018, then-President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. unilaterally out of the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, saying it needed to be renegotiated.

Even as Iran has backed away from restrictions of the deal since then to put pressure on the other signatories - Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China - to provide new economic incentives to offset U.S. sanctions, those countries have insisted it's critical to keep the deal alive so that inspectors are able to continue to verify Iran's nuclear activities.

++ ASSOCIATED PRESS IS ADHERING TO IRANIAN LAW THAT STIPULATES ALL MEDIA ARE BANNED FROM PROVIDING BBC PERSIAN, VOA PERSIAN, MANOTO TV OR IRAN INTERNATIONAL ANY COVERAGE FROM IRAN, AND UNDER THIS LAW IF ANY MEDIA VIOLATE THIS BAN THE IRANIAN AUTHORITIES CAN IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THAT ORGANIZATION IN TEHRAN.++

ASSOCIATED PRESS - NO ACCESS BBC PERSIAN/NO ACCESS VOA PERSIAN/NO ACCESS MANOTO TV/NO ACCESS IRAN INTERNATIONAL

Tehran, Iran - 22 February 2021

1. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh walking to podium

2. Cutaway of photographer

3. Wide of news conference

4. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"As of tomorrow, voluntary compliance with the Additional Protocol will be halted. Some of the necessary surveillance that the agency (International Atomic Energy Agency) has requested for the period of next three months within the framework of Iran's safeguard commitments will remain in place."

5. Wide of Khatibzadeh at podium

6. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"Over the next three months, cameras that are running in accordance with commitments beyond the safeguards will remain switched on but their footage won't be handed over to the agency. They will be kept by Iran's Atomic Energy Organization for the next three months. Practically, we are stopping voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol and what has been agreed with the IAEA is in line with the law passed by the (Iranian) parliament."

7. Pan of news conference

8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"What happened between Iran's Atomic Energy Agency and the IAEA is a technical agreement that is designed to prevent the relationship between Iran and the IAEA from being spoiled while executing the law passed by parliament (ordering the government to stop adhering to the Additional Protocol)."

9. Wide of news conference

10. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Saeed Khatibzadeh, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman:

"What is obvious is that as long as the United States has not lifted the sanctions, it is not in a position to be a part of the nuclear deal and cannot be present (in the talks between three European countries and Iran). We are reviewing our response to this proposal (a European Union proposal for an informal meeting between current members of Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal and the United States)."

11. Khatibzadeh leaving news conference

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday blamed the economic sanctions imposed by the United States against Venezuela for the severe food and medicine shortages in the country.

"Today, there is more awareness due to the economic war overtly waged by President Donald Trump against Venezuela, the sanctions against the oil company PDVSA, the expropriation of our oil company in the United States, CITGO, restrictions on trade," Maduro said during an interview with The Associated Press in Caracas.

"They have frozen billions of dollars for buying medicine."

The hand-picked successor to the late Hugo Chavez has been called a dictator by his critics and is blamed for driving the oil-rich economy into the ground.

Thursday's interview comes amid mounting pressure by the U.S. administration and dozens of nations for him to leave power.

Maduro accuses the U.S. of leading an economic war to undermine his socialist vision and launching a coup aimed at installing a puppet government under opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Caracas, Venezuela - 14 February 2019

1. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sitting down for an exclusive interview with The Associated Press

2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela:

"The great majority of the country, according to the polls, are very aware of the economic war that has been waged against the country. Today, there is more awareness due to the economic war overtly waged by President Donald Trump against Venezuela, the sanctions against the oil company PDVSA, the expropriation of our oil company in the United States, CITGO, restrictions on trade. Notice what is happening, whether we have the support of the majority or not, beyond this, I am going to respond to your question, today there is a great understanding in the country of the damage that was done by the sanctions and the economic, financial persecution, that the government of United States has waged against Venezuela."

3. Wide of interview

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4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela:

"Pressure is being put on Venezuela so as not to bring shipments of medicine, to try to stop our purchases of food, of raw materials. (There is) direct pressure from the White House, so that no bank account of ours works, and if I were to buy wheat or corn, which are necessary for the economy to function, and to satisfy our people, they simply freeze our accounts. They have frozen billions of dollars for buying medicine."

5. Maduro shaking hands with AP interviewer

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday blamed the economic sanctions imposed by the United States against Venezuela for the severe food and medicine shortages in the country.

"Today, there is more awareness due to the economic war overtly waged by President Donald Trump against Venezuela, the sanctions against the oil company PDVSA, the expropriation of our oil company in the United States, CITGO, restrictions on trade," Maduro said during an interview with The Associated Press in Caracas.

"They have frozen billions of dollars for buying medicine."

The hand-picked successor to the late Hugo Chavez has been called a dictator by his critics and is blamed for driving the oil-rich economy into the ground.

Thursday's interview comes amid mounting pressure by the U.S. administration and dozens of nations for him to leave power.

Maduro accuses the U.S. of leading an economic war to undermine his socialist vision and launching a coup aimed at installing a puppet government under opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Caracas - 14 February 2019

1. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sitting down for an exclusive interview with The Associated Press

2. Maduro sitting during interview

3. Wide of interview

4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela:

"The great majority of the country, according to the polls, are very aware of the economic war that has been waged against the country. Today, there is more awareness due to the economic war overtly waged by President Donald Trump against Venezuela, the sanctions against the oil company PDVSA, the expropriation of our oil company in the United States, CITGO, restrictions on trade. Notice what is happening, whether we have the support of the majority or not, beyond this, I am going to respond to your question, today there is a great understanding in the country of the damage that was done by the sanctions and the economic, financial persecution, that the government of United States has waged against Venezuela."

5. Various of Maduro during interview

6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela:

"Pressure is being put on Venezuela so as not to bring shipments of medicine, to try to stop our purchases of food, of raw materials. (There is) direct pressure from the White House, so that no bank account of ours works, and if I were to buy wheat or corn, which are necessary for the economy to function, and to satisfy our people, they simply freeze our accounts. They have frozen billions of dollars for buying medicine."

7. Maduro holding small copy of Venezuelan constitution

8. Wide of interview

9. Maduro shaking hands with AP interviewer

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday blamed the economic sanctions imposed by the United States against Venezuela for the severe food and medicine shortages in the country.

"Today, there is more awareness due to the economic war overtly waged by President Donald Trump against Venezuela, the sanctions against the oil company PDVSA, the expropriation of our oil company in the United States, CITGO, restrictions on trade," Maduro said during an interview with The Associated Press in Caracas.

"They have frozen billions of dollars for buying medicine."

The hand-picked successor to the late Hugo Chavez has been called a dictator by his critics and is blamed for driving the oil-rich economy into the ground.

Thursday's interview comes amid mounting pressure by the U.S. administration and dozens of nations for him to leave power.

Maduro accuses the U.S. of leading an economic war to undermine his socialist vision and launching a coup aimed at installing a puppet government under opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Caracas - 14 February 2019

1. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sitting down for an exclusive interview with The Associated Press

2. Maduro sitting during interview

3. Wide of interview

4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela:

"The great majority of the country, according to the polls, are very aware of the economic war that has been waged against the country. Today, there is more awareness due to the economic war overtly waged by President Donald Trump against Venezuela, the sanctions against the oil company PDVSA, the expropriation of our oil company in the United States, CITGO, restrictions on trade. Notice what is happening, Ian, whether we have the support of the majority or not, beyond this, I am going to respond to your question, today there is a great understanding in the country of the damage that was done by the sanctions and the economic, financial persecution, that the government of United States has waged against Venezuela."

5. Various of Maduro during interview

6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela:

"Pressure is being put on Venezuela so as not to bring shipments of medicine, to try to stop our purchases of food, of raw materials. (There is) direct pressure from the White House, so that no bank account of ours works, and if I were to buy wheat or corn, which are necessary for the economy to function, and to satisfy our people, they simply freeze our accounts. They have frozen billions of dollars for buying medicine."

7. Maduro holding small copy of Venezuelan constitution

8. Wide of interview

9. Maduro shaking hands with Ian Phillips, AP Vice President of International News