LIFT SANCTIONS OR NUKE INSPECTIONS BLOCKED: TEHRAN

DUBAI Iran threatened on Tuesday to block short-notice inspections of its nuclear facilities, demanding Washington reverse economic sanctions before it returns to compliance with a nuclear deal that President Joe Biden aims to restore.

Biden, who took office last week, aims to reverse a decision by his predecessor Donald Trump to pull out of the 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers.

The agreement lifted sanctions on Iran in return for curbs to Iran's nuclear program, but after Trump quit and reimposed sanctions, Iran violated its conditions. Biden says Tehran should return to compliance before sanctions are lifted; Iran wants sanctions lifted first.

Under the accord, the International Atomic Energy Agency was given wide-ranging access to gather information on Iran's nuclear activities, including the right to demand short-notice inspections of any site it deems necessary.