IAEA to Visit Iran in the Next Two Weeks, Says Iranian Foreign Ministry

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei announced on Monday that the U.N. nuclear watchdog will visit Iran within the next two weeks, shortly after the agency's director stated that Tehran was prepared to resume technical discussions.

Baghaei added that a manual regarding the future of Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency will be presented, based on a recent parliamentary bill restricting such cooperation, The Caspian Post reports citing Reuters.

The bill, which has now become law, stipulates that any future inspection of Iran’s nuclear sites by the IAEA needs approval by Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council.

The IAEA has said it must be allowed to resume inspections after Israeli and U.S. airstrikes last month that aimed to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme and deny it the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its programme is strictly peaceful, read the report.

The UN nuclear watchdog is particularly concerned about the whereabouts of Iran’s stocks of some 400 kg of highly enriched uranium.

Baghaei reiterated Iran’s position that it would resume indirect talks with the United States if its national interest required it, but said there currently were no plans to hold a sixth round of nuclear negotiations with Washington.

Iran and the U.S. held five rounds of talks mediated by Oman, which were suspended as a result of last month’s 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

The talks were characterised by major points of contention, such as Washington’s request that Tehran stop its domestic uranium enrichment, Reuters reported.

Baghaei said on Monday that as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran should be allowed to enrich uranium.