Iran, IAEA Wrap Up "Constructive" Talks in Tehran

“The two-day talks between the Iranian and IAEA delegations came to an end. During the talks, the whole bilateral issues were discussed, including the ways on how to complete the two agreed practical measures and the approaches ahead. The negotiations were very constructive, serious and explicit,” Reza Najafi told the Fars News Agency.

The Iranian official also noted that a next meeting will be held in the near future, very likely in late October.

Led by Tero Varjoranta, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards, the foreign team had arrived in Iran on Tuesday for talks on the issues over Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.

The two-day talks included discussions on the remaining transparency measures within the framework of an agreement reached previously between Iran and the Vienna-based agency.

According to the latest quarterly report published by the UN nuclear watchdog on September 5, Iran has implemented three of five transparency steps that it was supposed to take by August 25 under a confidence-building deal it reached with the UN body back in November 2013.

The UN body, however, noted that Iran has been slow in providing information on the two issues that are part of the IAEA's investigation, namely the alleged experiments on explosives with possible military application, and studies related to calculating nuclear explosive yields.

The Islamic Republic has already provided the IAEA with the necessary answers to all questions on the issues related to so-called Exploding Bridge Wire (EBW) detonators.

EBW detonators are seen to have the potential for military applications. Iran insists that allegations of any such utility of that device in the country’s nuclear program are baseless, and has offered to help clear up ambiguities in this regard.

Iran has always dismissed suspicions that its nuclear program might have military dimensions, stressing that its program is solely for peaceful energy purposes.