Iranian FM: Iran to cooperate with IAEA if technical issues solved

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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that Iran is ready to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on resolving the remaining issues regarding the country's nuclear activities as long as the IAEA chooses to focus on technical issues.

In an interview with Al-Monitor that was published Monday, Amir-Abdollahian noted “These apparent baseless allegations against Iran, that have been put on the agenda of the Agency (IAEA) need to be removed first,” adding, “At the same time, the Agency needs to behave and act technically,” rather than politically.

“So, if the Agency chooses to, instead, concentrate on only the technical issues, then we will definitely try to strengthen and add to our cooperation,” he stressed. 

Secretary-General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, demanded Iran offer an explanation for the "traces of uranium" that was found in non-declared nuclear sites.

Tehran, on its part, slammed the concerns as baseless, and that its nuclear program is subject to the most inclusive inspection in the history of the IAEA. 

Amir-Abdollahian, when asked why Tehran did not address issues regarding the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) through direct dialogue with Washington, argued that the US relayed a message last week: "Let's talk directly."

“We are not afraid of having face-to-face talks with the United States, but we should feel that it is going to be a game changer, that there is going to be some kind of gain for us,” Iran's foreign minister said, adding, “If the Americans are serious, and they are willing to show their willingness and desire to get back to the JCPOA, these (indirect) messages will suffice."

The foreign minister was asked whether a new round of EU-moderated indirect negotiations with the US would be supported if the situation did not lead to direct talks. He responded that he would not necessarily do so, “but if the American side feels that there needs to be another round of talks done by the coordinators, I mean, (EU foreign policy chief) Josep Borrell and the EU, then we are not going to reject that.”

Accusations against Iran, according to Tehran, are a result of external pressures on the IAEA, namely from the US and "Israel."

This month, as part of Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid's pressure campaign to deter the United States from signing a nuclear deal with Iran, Barnea warned his US counterparts against signing the deal following his meeting in Washington. 

Barnea presented "sensitive intelligence materials" and asserted that "Israel" "will not be able to stand idly by while Iran continues to deceive the world," according to a statement from Lapid's office. In response, Washington assured "Israel" that it will remain "committed" to its security. 

Last month, Channel 12 quoted Mossad chief David Barnea as saying in a series of internal meetings that "the agreement is very bad for Israel, yet, a strategic disaster."

Recently, Israeli officials have been spending a considerable amount of time with the US and European states in an attempt to pressure them not to sign the deal with Iran.