IAEA, Iran Agree on ‘Operational Steps’: Grossi
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi said he has reached an agreement with Iran to take joint operational steps to carry out a statement the two sides had issued in March 2023.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami in the central Iranian city of Isfahan on Tuesday, Grossi said the UN nuclear agency and Iran are in the middle of a delicate process.
Pointing to his meetings with the Iranian foreign minister and his deputy in Tehran on Monday, the IAEA chief said he has held intensive negotiations today about taking reciprocal steps.
Describing the March 2023 statement as a major document, Grossi said it defines what needs to be done to resolve the outstanding issues and take additional steps.
The IAEA director general noted that he has provided Iran with a proposal regarding the need to take operational steps.
The teams from the two sides are defining additional steps in a separate meeting, he said.
Dismissing plans for any new document other than the March 2023 statement, Grossi said the IAEA and Iran have agreed on “tangible and operational steps” to carry out the statement, which he said has the capacity to resolve the outstanding issues.
Asked about the Israeli regime’s attempts to harm the relations between the IAEA and Iran, Grossi said his agency would not care about external actors and only pays attention to the role of Iran.
He said the UN nuclear agency and Iran are designing a series of measures to allay all suspicions and continue the mutual cooperation in the correct path.
On the US’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Grossi said efforts should be made to bring cooperation back to the previous course, as the IAEA tries to facilitate the revival of the JCPOA or any other document that Iran may be willing to enter.
The UN nuclear chief is in Iran to take part in the International Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology 2024, which also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.
