IAEA Approach to Iran Not Political

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi said the global watchdog’s approach toward Iran is not affected by political circumstances.
“I have no political tendencies and the agency’s judgments are only based on technical data … It sometimes occurs that there is a need for clarification,” he said in a joint press conference with Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, after their meeting in Tehran on Tuesday, ISNA reported. 
Grossi is making his first visit to Tehran as IAEA chief, while the agency is pushing for access to two former sites where it suspects nuclear activity has taken place. 
The 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors adopted in mid-June a resolution submitted by France, Germany and Britain that urged Iran to allow access to the locations. 
Iran argues that the request is not legitimate because it is based on inadmissible intelligence provided by Iran’s archenemy Israel and has called for the agency’s impartiality and independence. 
Grossi stressed that the IAEA has independent relations with countries and would not allow a third party to affect those ties.
“We assure that there is no exercise of influence, but there is pressure that we don’t let it affect us as much as we can,” he said.   
Grossi noted that IAEA’s approach to Iran has not changed since he assumed office and mutual cooperation is set to increase. 
 “The agency does not operate based on the intentions of the director general, but based on approved documents, such as the Safeguards Agreement and the Additional Protocol,” he said.   
Those within the agency work impartially, according to Grossi, even though certain groups may try to use the body for their own purposes. 
“I will not allow anyone to use the agency for their purposes during my chairmanship,” he said.

Constructive Talks 

Salehi said their conversations were “constructive” with the agency agreeing to pursue its agenda professionally and independently while Iran vowed to continue acting within the framework of its obligations.
“I can say we are progressing forward and I am hopeful of the future and that the issues ahead of us will be resolved in a proper way,” he said.   
He emphasized that Iran has never acceded to any demand outside legal frameworks throughout the time that an “artificial” case has been brought against it at the IAEA and will not do so in the future. 
“We act based on our national interests and now too, we act and negotiate within the framework of regulations and obligations,” he said. 
As part of a diplomatic strategy, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities under a 2015 deal to assure the world that it will not build atomic weapons, even though it firmly denies ever seeking such means of mass destruction.  
According to Salehi, expert teams from both sides are preparing a joint statement that will be released in due time. 
Grossi later met with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the afternoon and was set to hold talks with President Hassan Rouhani and other senior officials later on during his two-day stay.