A New Round of Iran–IAEA Talks Ahead
WANA (Aug 18) – The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday that a new round of negotiations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will take place in the coming days.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Esmail Baghaei referred to the recent visit of the IAEA Director General and Deputy Director General to Tehran, saying:
“The main purpose of this visit was to examine the modalities of Iran–IAEA engagement following the attacks by the Zionist regime and the United States on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities. There is no precedent for a country coming under military attack against its nuclear facilities while the Agency is still mandated to cooperate and monitor. In such circumstances, serious safety and security concerns inevitably arise.”
Azizi: No Physical Access to Nuclear Sites for IAEA Delegation
WANA (Aug 04) – Ebrahim Azizi, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, emphasized that according to laws passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Parliament), under no circumstances will physical access to Iran’s nuclear facilities be granted to any international institution. Speaking about certain rumors regarding the possible resumption of […]
According to him, these consultations are aimed at drafting a special protocol for the new situation, discussions which had also continued last week. Baghaei added:
“Another round of negotiations between Iran and the Agency is likely to be held in the coming days.”
Background
Following Israel’s strikes on June 12 against Tehran, Natanz and other nuclear sites, and the subsequent U.S. bombardment of the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan facilities in early July, Iran’s parliament passed a law obligating the government to suspend cooperation with the IAEA until the security of nuclear centers is guaranteed and Iran’s full rights under the NPT are respected. The bill was finalized on June 24 and became binding on the government.
Arak nuclear facility after U.S. strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency
In response, Massimo Aparo, the IAEA Deputy Director General, traveled to Tehran on August 10 to discuss a new framework for cooperation. Prior to his visit, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi stated that:
“Until an agreement is reached on the new framework, there will be no inspections or visits.”
That same day, Baghaei also emphasized that the talks were only aimed at defining the modalities of future engagement with the Agency, not inspections of damaged sites. Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Foreign Minister for International and Legal Affairs, likewise stressed that:
“No inspections of the attacked facilities are on the agenda; the negotiations are solely to draft the protocol for future cooperation.”
What Does Grossi’s Deputy Want in Tehran?
WANA (Aug 11) – Today, Tehran is hosting one of the most important technical-political figures of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): Massimo Aparo, deputy to Rafael Grossi. But this visit comes with neither inspection cameras nor tours of nuclear facilities. Contrary to portrayals in some media, his mission is tied to a single urgent […]
In the Context of Regional Tensions
These developments come against the backdrop of heightened regional tensions. Just two days before Israel’s assault on Iran, the sixth round of indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. had been scheduled in Oman. The Israeli strikes—joined by U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities—brought that process to a standstill.
In response, Iran launched Operation “True Promise 3” against Israeli-occupied territories, followed by Operation “Glad Tidings of Victory” targeting the U.S. Al-Udeid base in Qatar. Finally, on June 23, the conflict was halted after the U.S. president declared a ceasefire.
Now, despite the climate of mistrust, Tehran and Vienna are negotiating a new framework for continued interaction—one in which Iran’s national security and sovereignty are set as fundamental conditions for cooperation with the IAEA.
