- “Refusing to reject nuclear weapons from international communities.”
- “We need to be able to verify,” said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi.
- The official emphasizes that cooperation is needed when diplomacy is always needed.
Tehran: Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear regulator, warned on Wednesday that Iran had a nuclear bomb “not far away” shortly before he arrived in Tehran.
Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking access to nuclear weapons, and Tehran has denied a charge, insisting that its plans are for peaceful civilian purposes.
“It’s like a puzzle. They have fragments and one day they can put them together.” world In an interview posted on Wednesday.
“There is a road before they get there. But they are not far from them, and that must be recognized,” he said.
The mandate of the United Nations regulator oversees Iran’s nuclear program and complies with the 2015 nuclear deal that collapsed three years later when the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal during President Donald Trump’s first term.
“Telling the international community that ‘we don’t have nuclear weapons’ is not enough to make them believe you. We need to be able to verify it.”
He arrived in Tehran on Wednesday and met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He is also expected to meet with Mohammad Eslami, the leader of the Iranian Nuclear Energy Agency.
Grossi described his meeting with Araghchi as “important”.
“Combination with the IAEA is essential to provide reliable assurances on the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program when diplomacy is urgently needed,” he said on X.
Grossi’s visit comes a week after the two countries came after Trump abandoned the nuclear deal in 2018.
Both sides called the first meeting “constructive”.
“contradiction”
Araghchi earlier said Iran’s abundance of uranium under its nuclear program was “unnegotiable” after the call ended by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
“Iran’s abundance is a real, recognized thing,” he told reporters.
“We are ready to respond to possible concerns, but enriching issues are not negotiable.”
His remarks were posted in Witkoff on Tuesday that Iran must “stop and eliminate” uranium enriched as part of any nuclear deal.
The day before, Vikov urged Iran only to return a full ceiling of 3.67% related to major powers by 2015.
The IAEA said in its latest report that Iran estimates 274.8 kg (605 pounds) of uranium enrichment is as high as 60%.
This level is well above the upper limit for trading in 2015, but it still fails to reach the 90% threshold required by nuclear warheads.
After returning to office in January, Trump imposed thorough sanctions on Iran based on his “maximum pressure” policy.
In March, he wrote to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging negotiations while also warning that action might be taken if the deals fail to reach an agreement.
Araguech condemned his so-called “contradictory and conflicting stance” of the Trump administration ahead of Saturday’s new talks.
“We will find the true opinions of Americans during the negotiations,” he said.
Araghchi said he hopes to start negotiations on a framework for possible agreements, but that requires a “constructive position” from the United States.
“If we continue [hear] Contradiction and conflicting positions, we will have problems,” he warned.
“Red Line”
Iranian state media said on Wednesday that the talks on Saturday will be held in Rome as an Italian spokesman confirmed the location, thus giving a speech on Amani mediation in Rome.
However, U.S. and Iranian officials have not officially confirmed the site.
Tehran’s ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalili said Araghchi will travel to Iran’s ally Russia on Thursday.
Iran said the visit was “pre-planned” but would include discussions about the Iran-U.S. talks.
“The purpose of the trip to Russia is to send a written message to President Vladimir Putin,” said Aragic.
In preparation for US negotiations, Iran has engaged Russia and China, both parties to the 2015 deal.
Before Saturday’s talks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he hopes a deal with the United States could be reached, according to the official IRNA news agency.
On Tuesday, Khamenei warned that despite the early stages of negotiations, they could still prove fruitless.
“The negotiations may or may not produce results,” he said, noting that Iran has outlined its “red line.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said the country’s military capabilities were a forbidden zone in negotiations.
IRNA said late Sunday that Iran’s regional influence and its missile capabilities, which are sources of Western concern, are also one of its “red lines.”
