In the shadow of the Iranian violations: The IAEA chief goes out for talks in Tehran

by

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, is leaving for Tehran today (Saturday) for talks with representatives of the Iranian government following Tehran’s announcement of its intention to reduce the IAEA’s international inspectors’ access to Iranian nuclear sites.

The issue of site oversight is one of the key points in the international nuclear deal, and the denial of free access by international inspectors to nuclear sites constitutes a serious violation of the agreement on the part of Iran. The new Iranian violation of the nuclear deal comes despite announcements by the new US administration of its willingness to rejoin the nuclear deal and the abolition of international sanctions initiated by the Trump administration.

Blinken: “Iran’s time for nuclear weapons to shrink to three to four months” // Photo: Reuters

In a speech at Merkel’s security conference, President Biden declared his country’s willingness to participate in the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear deal, without specifying any conditions for these negotiations.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed faith that the nuclear deal can be saved, despite Iranian violations. “If everyone is convinced that this agreement can be given another chance, then we need to find ways to move it back. I, for my part, will work to give new impetus to the negotiations,” Merkel said.

However, the Chancellor, who is in her final months in office, has made it clear that diplomatic difficulties are still facing the resumption of negotiations.

The Foreign Ministry in Berlin clarified yesterday that Germany is now expecting concrete signals from Iran, which will allow it to sit down again around the table and work constructively on the nuclear agreement. Iran, for its part, has made it clear that it will not respond to “gestures” from the United States but only from actions by Washington.

.Source