UN nuclear officials leave Iran after talks

IMPASSE OVER URANIUM TRACES AT UNDECLARED SITES STALLS ACCORD

UIran is ready to return to its JCPOA [nuclear deal] obligations. Many problems have been resolved in the negotiations, now the only issue is safeguards.”

Kamal Kharrazi | Senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

N nuclear watchdog officials left Iran yesterday after talks with the head of its nuclear energy organisation, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported, without saying whether they addressed an impasse over uranium traces at undeclared sites.

The issue has been an obstacle to progress in wider talks to revive Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, meant to curb its disputed uranium enrichment programme in return for lifting sanctions imposed by the US after exiting the pact in 2018.

ISNA said the delegation of the International Atomic Energy Agency, led by the IAEA’s deputy director general for safeguards, Massimo Aparo, held negotiations with Iranian teams and met Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation.

The two sides exchanged views on “future joint cooperation and programmes, in addition to safeguarding issues”, ISNA said. Speaking last week, Eslami said he hoped the IAEA visit could help resolve outstanding issues between the two sides.

Sticking point

The IAEA said last year Iran had failed to explain traces of uranium found at several undeclared sites, which the agency said affected its ability to verify whether Iran’s nuclear activity was part of a peaceful energy project, as Tehran has always maintained.

Talks to restore the nuclear accord have been at a stalemate since September. Western powers accuse the Islamic Republic of raising unreasonable demands after all sides appeared to be nearing a deal.

Open to agreement

Speaking at a conference in Tehran, Kamal Kharrazi, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the issue of nuclear safeguards was the last one to resolve ahead of reviving the deal, the semi-official Tasnim news agency said. “Iran is ready to return to its JCPOA [nuclear deal] obligations. Many problems have been resolved in the negotiations, now the only issue is safeguards,” it quoted Kharrazi as saying.

The US said in October that reviving deal was “not our focus right now” as Iran had showed little interest.