Iran says committed to cooperating with IAEA based on safeguards obligations

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says Tehran “remains committed” to cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In a post on his X account on Monday, Gharibabadi hailed the “frank and constructive” discussion he had with Rafael Grossi, the IAEA chief, at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna.

“While safeguarding its national security and interests, Iran remains committed to cooperating with the IAEA within the framework of the agency’s Safeguards obligations,” he wrote.

He said both sides discussed the Iran-IAEA cooperation, the resolution of two outstanding issues, the security of nuclear facilities, the latest developments surrounding the nuclear issue, and the lifting of sanctions.

The Iranian official added that the long-standing record of cooperation between Iran and the IAEA enables them to resolve the few remaining differences.

Gharibabadi, however, emphasized that the settlement of the remaining issues requires the elimination of external political pressure on the IAEA and the agency’s adoption of an “independent, technical, impartial, and professional” approach.

Currently, Iran and the IAEA are in a dispute triggered by the agency’s claims of “uranium traces” found at “undeclared nuclear sites” in Iran.

Iran has categorically rejected the accusations regarding undeclared nuclear activities or materials. Tehran maintains it is prepared to cooperate with the IAEA to settle disputes.

In May 2023, the IAEA announced it had decided to close the file on traces of what is claimed to be nuclear material at one of these alleged “undetected” sites in Iran following progress in cooperation between Tehran and the nuclear watchdog.

Grossi stresses IAEA pursues constructive relations with Iran

The IAEA director general urges tangible engagement with Iran that encompasses all aspects.

For his part, Grossi wrote in his X account that he held a “timely” meeting with the Iranian deputy foreign minister.

He added that cooperation “is indispensable to provide credible guarantees of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”

Earlier Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the meeting between Gharibabadi and Grossi was in the “continuation of our interaction and cooperation with the agency."

Iran has repeatedly announced that the “political stance of the agency’s officials and the director general himself will have no positive or constructive effect on cooperation between Iran and the agency."

The Vienna meeting comes after Gharibabadi took part in talks with his Russian and Chinese counterparts in Beijing on March 14.

He described the Iran-Russia-China meeting in Beijing as an important step in resolving the nuclear issue, adding that putting an end to “illegal and unilateral” sanctions against Iran was among key issues of the talks during the tripartite meeting and its joint statement.

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