Iran invites IAEA chief to talks before confronting West

VIENNA, Sept. 11 (Reuters) – UN nuclear surveillance chief Rafael Grossi will fly to Tehran this weekend for talks that could ease a clash between Iran and the West at the same time in which he risks escalating negotiations to reactivate Iran’s nuclear deal.

Three diplomats closely following the International Atomic Energy Agency told Reuters that Grossi’s trip ahead of the 35-nation IAEA board meeting was confirmed next week. Two said they will meet on Sunday the new head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami.

Subsequently, the sending of the IAEA and Iran to the agency confirmed the trip and the meeting.

“Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi will meet in Tehran on Sunday with the Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the head of the AEOI, Mohammad Eslami,” the IAEA said, adding that it was expected that Grossi held a press conference at Vienna Airport around 20:30 (18:30 GMT) on Sunday.

The IAEA informed member states this week that no progress had been made on two key issues: explaining the traces of uranium found at several undeclared ancient sites and gaining urgent access to some control equipment so the agency could continue to do so. a follow-up to parts of the Iranian nuclear program. as provided for in the 2015 agreement. Read more

Since June, indirect and separate talks between the United States and Iran have been halted to return to compliance with the agreement. Washington and its European allies have urged the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi, who took office in August, to return to talks.

Under the 2015 agreement between Iran and the major powers, Tehran agreed to restrict its nuclear activities in exchange for lifting sanctions.

SANCTIONS

President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018 and reintroduced onerous economic sanctions. Iran responded from 2019 by violating many of the basic restrictions of the agreement, such as enriching uranium with a higher purity, closer to that suitable for use in nuclear weapons.

Western powers must decide whether to push for a resolution criticizing Iran and increasing its pressure on the IAEA stone-taking at next week’s 35-country agency board meeting. A resolution could jeopardize the resumption of talks on the deal as Tehran faces such moves. Read more

The European parties to the 2015 deal – Britain, France and Germany – held a meeting with the United States in Paris on Friday to discuss how to react to the IAEA council and review options if Iran continues to be paralyzed. on returning to negotiations. But diplomats said no decisions had been made yet.

IAEA Governing Board countries will see Grossi visit to see if Iran gives in to granting access to control equipment to service it or offers the ability to respond to uranium particles found in old undeclared places.

Movements on these issues would make it less likely that a resolution will be adopted against Iran, diplomats say.

Report by Francois Murphy in Vienna, Paris Hafezi in Dubai and John Irish in Paris; Edited by Jason Neely, Andrew Cawthorne and Timothy Heritage

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