Iran’s nuclear chief hails ‘constructive’ technical talks with IAEA’s Grossi in Tehran

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, has hailed the “constructive” talks he held with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

According to Press TV, the talks were held at the AEOI office in Tehran on Sunday, hours after Grossi arrived in the capital for a one-day visit and was welcomed by Iranian officials.

At a joint press conference after the meeting, Eslami described the negotiations centering on technical issues as “constructive” and said “confidence-building” is what matters for Tehran and the UN nuclear watchdog.

“Today, Rafael Grossi came to Tehran at the invitation of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and we had good and constructive talks with him,” Eslami told reporters at the presser. “The negotiations were held in a spirit of cooperation to create opportunities for enhanced interactions within the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s rules and regulations.”

The head of the AEOI said all issues between Iran and the agency are basically technical, rather than political, adding the two sides decided to continue their talks in an upcoming meeting.

Eslami said Grossi will visit Tehran again in the “near future,” and added that the IAEA’s technical team will also come to Iran to make necessary arrangements for the replacement of surveillance camera memory cards in accordance with the Safeguards Agreement.

Grossi praised the talks as "positive and in-depth," saying, “We need to negotiate and exchange issues. This is my first visit since Mr. Eslami was appointed, and technical issues were discussed.”

The IAEA chief said the agency’s General Conference will be held in less than two weeks, and after which he will return to Iran for high-level talks with Iranian officials.

At the head of a delegation, the IAEA chief arrived in Tehran late on Saturday to hold negotiations with Eslami and discuss such issues as nuclear inspections and mutual cooperation, ahead of the regular meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors in Vienna.

On Thursday, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's representative to the international organizations in Vienna, warned the IAEA against taking any counterproductive measures against Iran during the forthcoming meeting of its Board of Governors, saying that such a measure would “disrupt” future talks on the revival of Iran’s nuclear deal.

SS