Iranian officials signaled they might be willing to return to nuclear negotiations under the second Trump administration after meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi in Tehran last week.
At a press conference on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Grossi’s visit was “fruitful and good,” resulting in some “good agreements” with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency.
Baqaei said some “ambiguities and questions” were covered during talks with Grossi – an allusion to the IAEA director’s longstanding complaints about Iranian non-compliance with inspection requirements. Grossi warned ahead of his visit to Tehran that time was running out for a “diplomatic solution” to these issues.
“What was obvious is Iran’s positive approach and goodwill in addressing the debates between Iran and the IAEA. We are trying to let the IAEA be able to do its job without destructive and wicked pressures from certain parties,” Baqaei said.
At this point, the Iranian spokesman’s sneer about “destructive and wicked third parties” could apply to almost every Western nation involved in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, since all of them have blasted the Iranians for interfering with IAEA inspections.
The loudest critics of Iran at the moment are not officials from the fading Biden administration, but rather France, Germany, and the United Kingdom – collectively known as the “E3” – which are pushing for a resolution against Iran at the IAEA board meeting in Vienna this week. Iran has threatened to retaliate against any such resolution by further reducing its already unsatisfying cooperation with nuclear inspectors.
Baghaei said he hoped all parties would “allow the issues between Iran and the agency to continue in a technical way and away from political pressures and considerations,” an unsubtle threat to the E3 nations to back down from their resolution demands.
Grossi issued a joint statement with his Iranian hosts calling for “bilateral interactions in a spirit of collaboration” to achieve “full conformity” with Iran’s obligations to the IAEA.
Grossi said it was an “important step” for him to visit Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordo and Natanz, where some of the thorniest issues of Iranian non-compliance have arisen. He said visiting the sites in person would help him develop “a full picture of the evolution of the program.”
After meeting with Grossi, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was “willing to negotiate based on our national interest and our inalienable rights, but NOT ready to negotiate under pressure and intimidation.”
“Iran has never left the negotiation table on its peaceful nuclear program,” he insisted.
The head of Iran’s atomic energy agency, Mohammad Eslami, repeated his threat that “any resolution against Iran’s nuclear program will be met with Iran’s immediate response.”
Continue reading: Breitbart.com
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