IAEA head Yukiya Amano paid a visit to Tehran on Thursday, at Iran’s invitation, aimed at jump-starting a stalled probe into the claims.
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Iranian Ambassador to the IAEA Reza Najafi said the two have agreed on a general framework how to work on removing the global body’s questions regarding Iran’s nuclear activities, ISNA news agency reported July 3.
Back in Vienna, when asked by journalists waiting outside the elegant Coburg Palace hotel if he was confident of a deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif replied from the balcony of his room: “I have to be hopeful”.
He also questioned the legitimacy of countries that don’t accept the worldwide Atomic Energy Agency’s jurisdiction demanding that Iran be subject to tougher requirements than any other nation.
IAEA said in report, a confidential document seen by Reuters on July 1, that Iran’s stockpile of uranium gas enriched up to a fissile purity of 5 percent was at 7,537 kg at end-June – below a roughly 7,650 kg ceiling stipulated in the November 2013 interim nuclear deal with six world powers.
The Iranian official said Iran could also agree to a system of “managed access” – which is strictly limited to protect legitimate military or industrial secrets – to relevant military sites.
Rowhani’s office only quoted him as saying that Iran “is prepared to clarify the remaining issues” with the IAEA within existing global regulations, neither confirming nor ruling out acceptance of intrusive inspections. Backed by the USA, the agency seeks pervasive oversight to ensure Tehran doesn’t cheat.
Zarif and U.S Secretary of State John Kerry have taken the lead in the negotiations.
Top Iranian negotiators and deputies to foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht Ravanchi, the European Union deputy foreign policy chief Helga Schmid and USA Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman held a long meeting in Vienna on Thursday night.
A USA intelligence assessment published in 2007 raised similar allegations, but said the work ended early last decade.
Iran and the P5+1 group – the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany – have effectively given themselves until Tuesday to reach a deal.
But the Iranian official said that ability goes two ways. “The technical work is advancing on the main text, on the appendices”, a western diplomat said.
Apart from the PMD issue, other hard topics include the timing and pace of sanctions relief and Iran’s future research and development into newer kinds of nuclear equipment.
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Speaking at the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said all participants had “the serious intention to finalize a deal”, but cited numerous unresolved issues.
