Iran government votes in favor of suspending U.N. inspections of country's nuclear facilities

Iranian officials have taken a major step to suspend U.N. inspections of the country's nuclear facilities.

The measure was approved Tuesday by Iran's parliament and includes a provision to require the Iranian government to increase the country's uranium enrichment program if the European countries that signed the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran fail to provide relief from oil and banking sanctions.

To be enacted, the measure also must be approved by the Guardian Council, the country's government watchdog, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say on all nuclear policies, according to the Associated Press.

The effort follows the killing last month of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist, and comes as Democrat Joe Biden, who could be president as of January 20, considers having the U.S. rejoin the 2015 accord. 

Amid concerns about the effectiveness of U.N. inspections, President Trump in 2018 officially exited the deal, which includes the easing of crippling economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for the rogue nation agreeing to wind down its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.