The landmark nuclear accord with major powers is expected to enter into full force at the beginning of next year, the head of the Foreign Ministry's office for implementation of the deal said.
Iran and P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany) are preparing for the full implementation of the pact, which was concluded on July 14 to end about 12 years of dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.
"We expect early January," Araqchi was quoted by Reuters as telling reporters in Vienna on Tuesday after meeting Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is tasked with verifying whether Iran is keeping its commitments under the deal.
The international agreement, officially referred to as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, will go into force after Tehran has met its commitments to curb its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
The curbs include dismantling about two-thirds of centrifuges at Fordo and Natanz enrichment sites.
The IAEA said in a confidential report last week that Iran had disconnected almost a quarter of centrifuges in less than a month.
Tehran is also required to reduce its stockpile of low enriched uranium—currently around 8,300 kg—to 300 kg before the JCPOA can be implemented.
***Uranium Swap Deal
Araqchi said Iran has reached a deal with Russia to export some of its enriched uranium to Russia in exchange for yellowcake, a form of uranium that has been mined but not yet enriched.
He said swap arrangement would be implemented only after the IAEA has closed its investigation into what it calls possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear past.
Iran has consistently denied there has been a military side to its nuclear activities.
Under a roadmap agreement signed between Iran and the UN nuclear agency alongside the JCPOA, the IAEA's Board of Governors is due to discuss the agency's final assessment of the PMD file on Dec. 15.
The IAEA's assessment report is key to the decision to lift sanctions.
In an interview with Press TV, the senior negotiator described his talks with Amano as "constructive and good".
"This meeting was in line with the roadmap that we have with the agency," he said, adding that based on the roadmap, Iran and the IAEA should hold a wrap-up meeting before the agency submits its final report on the PMD issue.
Araqchi, who is Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said experts from Iran and the IAEA met on Tuesday.
***Joint Commission to Convene Dec. 7
As agreed under the JCPOA, representatives from all parties to the deal have set up a Joint Commission to monitor it and address any issues arising from its implementation.
Araqchi told IRNA on Wednesday that the second meeting of the commission will convene on Dec. 7.
The date had been agreed in Araqchi's talks with European Union's Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs Helga Schmid late on Tuesday to discuss progress toward implementation of the JCPOA.
Araqchi also talked with Stephen Mull, the lead US coordinator for enforcing the accord.
