The ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has described the talks between Iran and the UN nuclear agency in Tehran on Tuesday and Wednesday as "substantial", saying discussions will resume soon.
"In the negotiations with the agency's delegation, which was headed by IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards Tero Varjoranta, all bilateral issues were discussed," IRNA on Friday quoted Reza Najafi as saying.
"In two days, we held very constructive, serious, and substantial talks with each other and discussed issues explicitly," he said.
“We will hold another meeting in the near future, probably in late October” he added.
In addition, he said talks were also held on how to complete the two remaining steps out of the five nuclear transparency measures Iran had undertaken in May to carry out until August 25 under a framework agreement on further cooperation with the IAEA sighed last November.
No Proposal on New Measures
The UN nuclear watchdog also issued a statement on Thursday saying in the technical meetings in Tehran, “the two sides held discussions in relation to the implementation of the two practical measures relating to the initiation of high explosives and to neutron transport calculations, agreed in May 2014 in the third step of the framework for cooperation.”
The statement also said, “The agency and Iran will continue discussions on these measures.”
It added, “Iran did not propose any new measures during the meetings in Tehran. Iran and the agency agreed to meet again, at a date to be announced.”
Early last month, the IAEA said Iran had failed to answer questions by the August 25 target date about two areas of its investigation into what it calls possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program- alleged experiments on explosives that could be used for an atomic device and also alleged studies related to calculating nuclear explosive yields.
Iran has said the target date was not met due to the “complexity” of the issues.
Tehran denies the allegation that it may have been seeking to develop the capability to build nuclear weapons and says its nuclear work is only meant for peaceful purposes, such as electricity generation and medical applications.
Iran-IAEA cooperation is separate, but closely linked to, nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany).
Western officials say Iran should step up cooperation with the IAEA if it wants to reach a broader diplomatic deal with the major powers that would end a decade-old dispute over its nuclear program and lift financial and other sanctions on the country.
Tehran has increased its cooperation with the IAEA to ease concerns over its nuclear activities since Hassan Rouhani became president last year on a platform to improve the country’s international relations.
Iran and the six major powers failed to meet a July 20 target date to build on the interim nuclear deal they reached in Geneva last November to work out a long-term settlement to the nuclear dispute. They agreed to extend the talks on a final comprehensive deal and continue implementing the Geneva agreement until November 24. The talks are expected to resume in coming weeks.
Sovereign Right
In response to reports that Iran has recently refused to issue an entry permit for a UN nuclear agency official, Najafi said under the regulations of the agency, Iran is not obliged to issue visas for IAEA staff members and even it has the right to deny entry to the agency’s inspectors.
It was Iran’s “sovereign right” not to admit the individual onto its territory.
He also said Iran has recently issued visas for three new members of the agency’s team of experts.
