Iran IAEA chief Grossi continues nuclear talks in Tehran

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is in Tehran to continue discussions on Iran's nuclear program. He met the country's new president for the first time.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has traveled to Tehran to continue talks on Iran's controversial nuclear program. During his visit, he met the new Iranian President Massud Peseschkian, who is considered a moderate, for the first time. Peseshkian assured him that Iran's nuclear projects are peaceful in nature and in line with international regulations. He emphasized Iran's willingness to continue its cooperation with the IAEA.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the head of the Iranian nuclear organization Mohammed Eslami also reaffirmed Iran's intention to continue its cooperation with the IAEA. However, Eslami warned of the possible consequences of an anti-Iranian resolution at the next IAEA Board of Governors and stated that Iran would react to any decisions against the country.

The Iranian government claims that the production of nuclear weapons for religious reasons is not part of its military doctrine. Nevertheless, some political circles, particularly the Revolutionary Guards, have indicated that this doctrine could be reconsidered in an emergency.

Concerns about uranium enrichment

Grossi recently expressed concern about the increase in highly enriched uranium in Iran. He criticized Tehran for not allowing experienced IAEA inspectors into the country and for being unwilling to talk about secret nuclear activities. According to Grossi, the negotiations in Tehran should help to implement agreements and ensure the necessary transparency for the agency to work effectively.

As part of the 2015 Vienna nuclear agreement, Iran committed to restricting its nuclear program in return for the lifting of Western sanctions. However, following the unilateral withdrawal of the USA from the agreement in 2018 and the imposition of new sanctions, Iran began to gradually ignore the requirements. The country increased its uranium enrichment level to 60 percent and has a total stockpile of over 6,000 kilograms of enriched uranium. Tehran has also considerably restricted its cooperation with the IAEA.

Political challenges for negotiations

During the election campaign, President Peseshkian emphasized that he wanted to resume nuclear negotiations with the West in order to lift the international sanctions that have plunged the country into a severe economic crisis. Grossi's visit could be a first step in this direction. Nevertheless, observers believe that negotiations with the Western parties to the Vienna nuclear agreement - Germany, France, the UK and the USA - are unlikely to take place soon.

US President-elect Donald Trump is opposed to the nuclear agreement and already withdrew from the deal during his first term in office. Diplomatic relations with Germany are currently tense, particularly due to the execution of a German-Iranian. Paris and London have also shown little interest in negotiations so far. There is also a risk of military conflict with Israel, which has not ruled out attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.

SDA