DUBAI (Reuters) – U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday that he wanted to deepen cooperation with Iran in his talks in Tehran, days before resumption of talks between the Islamic Republic and world powers to revive a 2015 nuclear deal.
“The agency is seeking to continue and deepen the dialogue with the government of Iran… We agreed to continue our joint work on transparency and this will continue,” Grossi, who arrived in Tehran on Monday, told a televised news conference.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week issued reports detailing its conflicts with Iran, from rough treatment of its inspectors to re-installing cameras it deems “essential” for the revival of Tehran’s nuclear deal.
Tehran and world powers will resume negotiations on Nov. 29 to find ways to reinstate the nuclear deal that Washington exited three years ago and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran.
Since 2019, Iran has gradually breached limits of the deal on its nuclear activities.
The IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors will hold a quarterly meeting on Nov. 24, at which diplomats say no action is likely to be taken against Iran for fear of harming the talks.
After meeting with Grossi, Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, said Tehran was determined to resolve technical issues with the agency without “politicising the matter”.
(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Nick Macfie)
