IAEA chief expected to visit Iran for crucial nuclear talks
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, is expected to visit Iran on Wednesday for crucial discussions on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
“The room for maneuver is beginning to shrink”Grossi warned Tuesday in an interview with Agence France-Presse, adding that he was “It is imperative to find ways to achieve diplomatic solutions”.
His visit comes two days after statements by Israel’s new Defense Minister, who warned that Tehran was “more exposed than ever to attacks on its nuclear facilities”. Israel has for years accused Iran of trying to acquire nuclear weapons, which Tehran has always denied.
The IAEA is authorized to conduct inspections in Iran, Grossi said. “But we need to see more.” “Given the breadth, depth and ambition of the Iranian program, we must find ways to give the agency more visibility.”he added.
Grossi’s visit also occurs a week after the victory in the American presidential elections of Donald Trump, architect of the so-called politics of “maximum pressure” against Iran during his first term (2017-2021). Trump assured last week that he was not seeking to harm Iran and, on the contrary, wanted the Iranians to have “a very prosperous country”while insisting that Tehran cannot “not have a nuclear weapon”.
In 2015, Iran and major powers, including the United States, signed an agreement in Vienna, after twenty-one months of negotiations. The text provided for a reduction in international sanctions against Tehran in exchange for guarantees that it does not intend to acquire atomic weapons.
But Trump unilaterally withdrew his country from the deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Iran. Since then, Iran has significantly increased its stockpile of enriched materials to 60%, close to the 90% needed to develop an atomic weapon, according to the IAEA. The nuclear deal limited this rate to 3.65%.
In a statement, the IAEA explained that Mr. Grossi would have “High-level meetings with the Iranian government” and would lead “technical discussions on all aspects”. Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, who wants relief from sanctions against his country to revive the economy, is in favor of new negotiations to revive the agreement.
