Grossi: Iran Shows 'Signs of Willingness' to Return to Nuclear Negotiations

Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), stated on Thursday to AFP that the Islamic Republic has shown 'signs of willingness' to resume negotiations regarding its nuclear file with the UN and Western powers. Grossi remarked, 'The Iranians are showing signs of willingness to re-engage, not only with the Agency but also with our former partners in the 2015 nuclear agreement.' He also added that there is currently an opportunity for 'new actions.' These statements were made ahead of Grossi's planned visit to Iran in October. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, October 4, Grossi mentioned on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that the Agency's efforts to lift the restrictions imposed by the Islamic Republic have unfortunately been lost. Grossi told Reuters that Iranian officials, who had previously spoken about the possibility of lifting these restrictions, have now announced that they will not return the banned inspectors to the Agency's list of authorized inspectors. He added that, therefore, 'unfortunately, this opportunity has been lost.' The IAEA Director General expressed hope that next month, in a meeting with Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the 14th government in the Islamic Republic, he could find solutions to some of the deadlocks between the Agency and the Iranian government regarding issues such as the discovery of uranium remnants at one of Iran's undeclared nuclear sites and expanding oversight of certain nuclear activities in Iran. According to Reuters, recent developments have cast doubt on Rafael Grossi's attempts to lift the ban on inspectors familiar with enrichment activities in Iran's nuclear program. Diplomats have stated that currently, only one enrichment expert remains on the list of authorized inspectors in Iran. The restrictions imposed on some Agency inspectors last year by the Iranian government faced severe condemnation from the IAEA. The Agency referred to this new prohibition as an 'unprecedented' action and described it as a 'very serious blow' to its ability to conduct meaningful inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. Subsequently, the IAEA Board of Governors, consisting of 35 countries, issued a resolution calling for increased cooperation from the Islamic Republic with the Agency and the lifting of the ban on access for its inspectors. Grossi's hope for finding a solution to the Agency's disputes with Tehran in the upcoming meeting with Pezeshkian is notable. Grossi stated about the possibility of the Agency inspectors returning to Iran: the opportunity has been lost. Grossi noted that there are encouraging signs of the Islamic Republic officials' willingness for more effective cooperation with the Agency. The IAEA Director General mentioned that he will soon travel to Iran for 'important meetings.' The United States and European powers have warned about the Islamic Republic's nuclear activities, stating that the patience of the Board of Governors has its limits. Grossi remarked that Iran's enrichment activities continue at high levels; he is not scheduled to meet with Pezeshkian at the UN.