Nuclear Negotiations: Amano in Tehran, European Ministers Head to Vienna

While Yukiya Amano, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is in Tehran to meet with the President and Iranian officials on Thursday, July 2, reports indicate that the foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany are joining the talks. Amano's presence in Tehran coincides with a Washington Post report stating that the United States intends to give a more prominent role to the IAEA in verifying Iran's nuclear program. According to this report, the IAEA is expected to monitor Iran's nuclear activities and their peaceful nature, as well as seek answers regarding Tehran's past nuclear activities, which the West suspects may have military dimensions. A senior U.S. official involved in the negotiations told the Washington Post that the IAEA has played a significant role in advancing the talks in Vienna. Western diplomats have stated that the IAEA's recent report indicates that Iran has complied with one of the key conditions of the initial nuclear agreement regarding a substantial reduction in its enriched uranium stockpile, which could be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. However, a group of politicians and analysts speaking to the Washington Post have expressed doubts about the financial and human resources and the capabilities of this international organization to fully monitor Iran's nuclear program. Amano is scheduled to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Britain, Germany, France, and China are set to join the nuclear negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have been engaged in talks over the past few days, albeit with interruptions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had also previously traveled to Vienna, but it is unclear if he will return to the Austrian capital. According to AFP, Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, will also be in Vienna on Thursday. The parties have agreed to conclude the negotiations by July 7. John Kerry stated on Wednesday, 'We are working hard. We have several difficult issues ahead. We believe we are making progress, and that is why we continue our efforts.'