(Tehran) The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, arrived in Iran on Monday to participate in a conference, at a time when concerns are growing around Tehran’s nuclear program in a context of increased regional tensions.
Mr. Grossi, at the head of a delegation, arrived in Iran to participate in a nuclear conference and negotiate “with the country’s highest political and nuclear officials”, reported the Iranian news agencies Mehr and Isna.
The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, said last week that Grossi would have “meetings” with Iranian officials, without providing further details.
Mr. Grossi will meet Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in the afternoon, Isna said.
This is the first trip by the head of the United Nations agency since March 2023 to Iran, where he notably met President Ebrahim Raïssi.
The IAEA is responsible for verifying the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. However, since 2021, inspections have been greatly reduced, surveillance cameras disconnected and the accreditation of a group of experts has been withdrawn.
The official Irna news agency indicated on Sunday that Mr. Grossi’s visit would be an opportunity for the two parties to “share their concerns”, notably concerning the IAEA inspectors, without further details.
During his two-day trip, Grossi will travel to Isfahan on Monday evening to attend the nuclear conference and negotiate with the head of the Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami, Isna added.
The conference begins Monday and will take place until Wednesday in the central province of Isfahan. It is in this region that the Natanz uranium enrichment plant is located.
“Uncertainties”
Since Rafael Grossi’s last visit more than a year ago, relations between the two sides have deteriorated sharply, with Tehran restricting cooperation while continuing its nuclear escalation.
“We are sure that the negotiations (with Mr. Grossi) will further dissipate uncertainties and that we will be able to strengthen our relations with the Agency,” Mr. Eslami said on Wednesday.
The current situation reinforces fears as Tehran has enough material to make several atomic bombs.
Iran, which denies having such intentions, is “the only country not equipped with atomic weapons to enrich uranium to the level of 60% and to accumulate” large stocks, the director general of Iran recalled in March. the UN agency.
This threshold is close to the 90% needed to make a bomb and is well above the authorized ceiling of 3.67%, equivalent to what is used for electricity production.
Iran has gradually freed itself from the commitments made within the framework of the 2015 international agreement governing its nuclear activities in exchange for a lifting of international sanctions.
This pact, known by the acronym JCPOA, was shattered after the withdrawal of the United States decided in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump.
Discussions in Vienna, where the IAEA is based, to revive it failed in the summer of 2022 and there is no hope of revival in the short term.
After a retaliatory attack against Iran attributed to Israel on April 19, the head of the IAEA expressed his concern and called “everyone to exercise extreme restraint” in a context of increasing escalation in the Middle East since the start seven months ago of the devastating war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
However, the IAEA clarified that it had noted “no damage” to Iranian nuclear sites after the explosions reported in the center of the country.