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To remove obstacle for reviving nuke deal, Iran, IAEA agree on 3-month timeline

WION Web Team
ViennaUpdated: Mar 06, 2022, 12:29 PM IST
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi attends a news conference in Vienna, Austria on Friday. Photograph:(Reuters)

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According to the diplomats, one unresolved issue has been the Iran’s demand for the closure of the International Atomic Energy Agency's investigation into uranium particles, which were found at three apparently old but undeclared sites. It had suggested that Iran had nuclear material there but it did not declare it to the agency

In an effort to remove an obstacle for reviving the nuclear deal, Iran and IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, on Saturday agreed for a three-month plan to resolve the issue of uranium particles, which were found at old but undeclared sites in the country.  

The delegates are looking to settle the final issues within days as the indirect talks have been going on between Iran and the United States for over 11 months to salvage the 2015 deal.   

According to the diplomats, one unresolved issue has been the Iran’s demand for the closure of the International Atomic Energy Agency's investigation into uranium particles, which were found at three apparently old but undeclared sites. It had suggested that Iran had nuclear material there but it did not declare it to the agency.  

The agency has been saying for a long time that Iran has not given satisfactory reply on those issues. But on Saturday, they announced a plan for a series of exchanges.   

After this, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi "will aim to report his conclusion by the June 2022 (IAEA) Board of Governors" meeting, which begins on June 6.   

In a news conference, when asked about what would be the effect on the deal if the issues remain unresolved, Grossi said, "It would be difficult to imagine you can have a cooperative relationship as if nothing had happened if the clarification of very important safeguards issues were to fail."   

(With inputs from agencies)