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Final Push to Conclude PMD Case

Final Push to Conclude PMD Case
Final Push to Conclude PMD Case

Representatives of Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency met in Vienna on Tuesday in a push to conclude the UN nuclear agency's investigation into what it calls possible military dimensions of Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran denies the allegation that it may have been seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability, saying its nuclear work is entirely for peaceful applications.

The Iranian delegation was headed by Foreign Ministry's Director General for Political and International Security Affairs Hamid Baeidinejad. Deputy IAEA Director General and the Head of the Department of Safeguards Tero Varjoranta led the IAEA experts.

Ambassador to IAEA Reza Najafi told reporters before the meeting, "We will hold final discussions and after the conclusion of talks, the agency will publish a report next week," IRNA reported.

Tuesday's meeting was the final phase of the agency's probe into Tehran's nuclear past, which is crucial to the full implementation of the July 14 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers.

The accord, reached with P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany), provides for sanctions relief in exchange for temporary constraints on Iran's nuclear work.

The lifting of sanctions is subject to the closure of PMD case and completion of Iran's measures set out in the nuclear pact.

A roadmap agreement signed between Iran and IAEA, alongside the more comprehensive nuclear deal, set a Dec. 15 deadline for the agency to present a final assessment on the resolution of all past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran's nuclear activities for action by its board of governors.

The final report is expected to be submitted to the board of governors by Dec. 1, giving it plenty of time until the mid-December target date to consider the IAEA's assessment and decide whether to close Iran's case by adopting a resolution to be drafted by P5+1.

***Araqchi's Meetings

Abbas Araqchi, the head of the Foreign Ministry's office for the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the nuclear deal is formally known, held talks with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, US Coordinator for Iran Nuclear Implementation Stephen Mull and European Union's Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs Helga Schmid on the enforcement of the nuclear agreement in the Austrian capital on Tuesday.

On the Iran-IAEA talks, Araqchi told reporters he hoped to reach "common understanding" with Amano on details of his PMD report.

Financialtribune.com