Tokyo: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said Friday that the nuclear watchdog has had “an initial exchange” with Iranian officials over nuclear inspections, media reports said.
“We had an initial exchange with the Iranian side at the technical level,” Grossi told a press conference in Tokyo, Kyodo News reported.
He said the exchange took place last weekend in Burgenstock in central Switzerland.
Grossi said earlier this week that the IAEA would carry out inspections in Iran in view of the recently signed US-Iran peace memorandum of understanding, Xinhua news agency reported.
However, a senior Iranian diplomat said Wednesday that Iran has no plan to provide the IAEA with access to its nuclear facilities bombed by the United States and Israel, noting that such issues will be resolved solely within the framework of a potential final agreement with Washington and as a result of the other party’s practical action to terminate all sanctions.
US Vice President J.D. Vance said on Monday that Iran has agreed to allow inspectors from the IAEA back into the country, describing the move as a major breakthrough in negotiations aimed at permanently ending Tehran’s nuclear weapons programme and reducing tensions across the Middle East.
After the Burgenstock talks, Vance told reporters that the development was among the most significant achievements of negotiations involving the United States, Iran and regional partners.
“The Iranians have agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into their country,” he asserted. “That is a major milestone for the American people, and the first step in permanently denuclearising or permanently ending a nuclear weapons programme in Iran.”
He said discussions between Iran and the IAEA could begin quickly.
“I expect that will happen at the minimum this week, but we think even some of those conversations with the inspectors and with the IAEA could happen as soon as today,” Vance had said.
(IANS)
