UN Nuclear Chief Grossi Meets Iranian Leaders in Tehran

Tehran, 14 Nov (ONA) --- Rafael Grossi, Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is in Tehran to continue negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme.

According to the state-run Iranian news agency IRNA, the first talks will be with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Grossi is also scheduled to meet the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, and for the first time hold talks with President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Grossi recently expressed concern about the increase in highly enriched uranium in Iran.

According to Grossi, the negotiations in Tehran should help to implement previous agreements and ensure transparency.

Under the 2015 international nuclear deal, Iran had agreed to curtail its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of Western sanctions. However, after the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and imposed new sanctions, Iran started ignoring the terms of the agreement.

During his election campaign, President Pezeshkian emphasized that he wanted to resume nuclear negotiations with the West in order to lift international sanctions.

However, due to the complex political situation, observers consider early negotiations with the four Western parties to the Vienna nuclear deal - Germany, France, Britain and the US – to be unlikely.

US President-elect Donald Trump is against the nuclear deal and withdrew from the deal during his first term in office.

--- Ends/Khalid