Iran agrees to let in team to discuss restoring nuclear monitoring, UN watchdog says
Move unrelated to US-Iran talks but is positive sign of Islamic Republic’s willingness to strike deal, Rafael Grossi tells reporters a week after meeting with officials in Tehran
WASHINGTON — Iran has agreed to let in an International Atomic Energy Agency technical team in the coming days to discuss restoring camera surveillance at nuclear sites, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said Wednesday, calling it an encouraging signal of Iran’s attitude toward nuclear talks with the United States.
Rafael Mariano Grossi, speaking to reporters in Washington after meeting with Iranian officials in Tehran last week, joined the American and Iranian sides in projecting optimism after a second round of negotiations Saturday over the Islamic Republic’s rapidly advancing nuclear program. Technical-level talks were expected this week.
Iranian leaders were engaged “with a sense of trying to get to an agreement,” Grossi said. “That is my impression.”
The US is looking to ensure Iran doesn’t develop nuclear weapons, while Iran wants the easing of sanctions that have damaged its economy.
After US President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 Iran nuclear deal in his first term, Tehran responded by curtailing IAEA access and monitoring at nuclear sites. Since then, Iran has pressed ahead on enriching and stockpiling uranium that is closer to weapons-grade levels, the agency says.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has long refrained from ordering the final steps needed to make nuclear bombs. Iranian leaders, who are sworn to destroy Israel, say their nuclear sites are for civilian purposes only.
However, Iran has since December increased by about half its already sizable stockpile of 60%-enriched uranium, according to a February IAEA report. The enrichment rate is far beyond what is necessary for a civilian nuclear program and a short step away from weapons-grade.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would be willing to see Tehran maintain a civilian nuclear program as long as it gives up on enriching uranium.
Iran commenced talks this month with Trump’s new administration, in the face of threatened Israeli or US strikes aimed at disabling Iran’s nuclear program by force. A third round of US-Iran nuclear talks is scheduled for Saturday in Oman.
Grossi said Iranian officials during his visit there last week agreed to allow an IAEA technical team to come to the country to discuss resuming access to and monitoring of nuclear sites, among other issues.
While that move was not directly linked to the US talks, Grossi called it an encouraging sign of Iran’s willingness to reach terms in a potential deal. The IAEA is not playing a direct role in the talks, and Trump’s Republican administration has not asked it to, Grossi told reporters.
That Iran and the US sought to resolve the issue peacefully was more important than whether UN nuclear monitors take part, he said. But when it comes to ensuring Iranian compliance with any deal, he said, “This will have to be verified by the IAEA.”
“I cannot imagine how you could put … a corps of invented international or national inspectors to inspect Iran” without having the agency’s decades of expertise, he said. “I think it would be problematic and strange.”
The Times of Israel Community.