Grossi’s visit seemed to arise out of a demand made by the Islamic Republic earlier this week that all IAEA probes into its nuclear program’s past military dimensions be closed.
https://www.jpost.com/-By YONAH JEREMY BOB
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC Energy Agency director-general Rafael Grossi at an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, September 13.
(photo credit: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters)
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi will visit Tehran on Saturday in an effort to reach certain understandings in the shadow of a potential impending deal at the nuclear talks in Vienna between Iran and the world powers.
Both Iranian media and the IAEA on Thursday confirmed news of the dramatic visit coming with little notice and at a decisive moment in the nuclear negotiations which have run from April-June and November to the present.
Grossi’s visit seemed to arise out of a demand made by the Islamic Republic earlier this week that all IAEA probes into its nuclear program’s past military dimensions be closed as part of the possible emerging deal with the world powers.
Reportedly the US has rejected artificially ending the IAEA probes.
Following the Mossad’s raid on Iran’s secret nuclear archives in January 2018, the IAEA wrestled Iran into allowing it access to three previously concealed nuclear sites as well as finding illicit nuclear material at the Turquzabad site.
Addressing Tehran’s demand to close the probes at a press conference on Wednesday, Grossi said he would not close the probe due to political pressure, but that he was also confident that if the Islamic Republic showed more openness, the outstanding issues could be resolved.
British Diplomat Stephanie Al-Qaq tweeted on Wednesday, “With our partners, the E3 fully supports the independence of the IAEA and the professional efforts of DG Grossi. Safeguards are a fundamental part of the non-proliferation system and are separate to the JCPOA. We will always reject any attempt to compromise IAEA independence.”
It was unclear if Grossi’s visit is designed to reach a compromise on resolving the IAEA’s questions in its probes to close them, to informally reduce Iranian fears that the issue will be used as a political cudgel going forward or to just explain technical issues.