IAEA Chief Says Iran Talks Fail to Yield Breakthrough Amid Tensions

The United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has reported that its latest discussions with a senior Iranian official have failed to produce a breakthrough in the ongoing investigation into Iran’s past nuclear activities, Bloomberg reports.

This lack of progress underscores the pressing need for a diplomatic resolution to the increasingly strained relationship between Iran and the United States.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated on Tuesday that he may “return soon” to Tehran to continue negotiations with Iranian representatives.

“We know there has been an outreach from President Trump sending a letter to the spiritual leader of Iran,” Grossi said.

He emphasized the need for “some form of understanding that would completely preclude the possibility of Iran getting a nuclear weapon.”

Reports indicate that US President Donald Trump’s letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei included a two-month deadline for Iran to agree to a new nuclear agreement, or potentially face military action. Last week, Iran announced it was considering its response to the letter and warned that the US would face severe consequences if it took any aggressive action.

Earlier this month, Tehran dispatched Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi to IAEA headquarters, where he met with diplomats from China and Russia. In a joint statement, “the three countries emphasized that relevant parties should be committed to addressing the root cause of the current situation and abandoning sanction, pressure, or threat of force.”

The current situation stems from the US’s withdrawal in May 2018 from an international accord that limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Following the US withdrawal, Iran began increasing its production of uranium enriched to levels just below those required for weapons.

With a growing number of countries openly discussing the need for a nuclear deterrent, Grossi stressed the importance of leaders exercising “circumspection and restraint” to avoid weakening non-proliferation norms.

IAEA monitors are currently preparing a special report detailing Iranian infractions in recent years, including Iran’s failure to provide technically credible explanations for the presence of uranium particles detected at undeclared locations.