International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has said that negotiations between the United States and Iran appear close to producing a framework agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday following a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, Grossi said the agency remains in contact with both sides, although it is not directly involved in the talks.
“Our sense is that they seem to be pretty close to agreeing on what I would describe more with regards to the nuclear … to sort of a framework, organisational structure to give themselves time to look into the different problems,” he said.
Grossi added that the IAEA has made several efforts to restore verification activities in Iran and stressed that Tehran’s obligations under its agreements with the agency remain in force.
“The issue here is multiple, because Iran has a number of obligations in terms of informing us and giving us access for our inspection work,” he said. “It is clear that under war circumstances, this is not possible, but there has been quite a long ceasefire.”
He noted that the agency had continued some activities at facilities selected by Iran, saying there is an “element of discretion” in terms of what Tehran allows the agency to see.
Grossi said Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remains central to any future agreement.
Possible options include exporting the material, diluting it or keeping it in Iran under IAEA monitoring, he said, adding that any decision would ultimately be political.
Grossi, however, said the first step should be for the agency to go to Iran to check the amount.
