Given the crucial role the International Atomic Energy Agency will be playing in monitoring a prospective final nuclear deal between Iran and the major powers, it is necessary to speed up cooperation with the UN nuclear agency, a senior negotiator said after meeting IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in Vienna on Tuesday.
"We were able to review the course of cooperation between Iran and the agency and we decided to expedite that cooperation, acknowledging the important role of the agency in any future possible agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany)," Abbas Araqchi told reporters.
Iran and the six major powers are in talks to hammer out a comprehensive deal, which would place temporary constraints on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. They aim to reach a political understanding on the substance of a long-term settlement by the end of March and finalize the details until a June 30 deadline.
Araqchi said progress was made at the latest round of the P5+1 talks which ended in Geneva on Monday, adding that there is still a “long way to go”.
The UN nuclear watchdog also said its head had a constructive meeting with Iran’s lead negotiator in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
“Today’s meeting was useful and facilitated a better understanding between the two sides,” the IAEA said after the meeting between Amano and Araqchi.
“The discussions focused on the need to resolve, as soon as possible, all outstanding issues related to Iran’s nuclear program,” a statement said.
