VIENNA, Aug 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, will travel to Tehran tomorrow, to meet with high-level Iranian authorities, IAEA said.
The visit will be the director general’s first to Iran, since he took office last Dec, the statement said.
During his visit, Grossi will address the cooperation of Iran with the IAEA, and in particular Iran’s provision of access to the agency’s inspectors to requested locations, it said.
“I have decided to come personally to Tehran, so that I can reinforce the importance of cooperation and the full implementation of all safeguards commitments and obligations with the IAEA,” Grossi said.
“My objective is that my meetings in Tehran will lead to concrete progress in addressing the outstanding questions that the agency has related to safeguards in Iran and, in particular, to resolve the issue of access.”
“I also hope to establish a fruitful and cooperative channel of direct dialogue with the Iranian Government, which will be valuable now and in the future,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Iran’s ambassador and permanent representative to the Vienna-based IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, said, Grossi will make an official visit to Iran tomorrow..
Iran is one of the main partners of the agency and Grossi’s visit will hopefully lead to reinforced mutual cooperation, Gharibabadi said.
Grossi’s visit comes, as U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, notified the UN that the U.S. was asking to activate the snap-back mechanism, to restore UN sanctions against Iran. China, Russia and the European Union criticised Washington’s move, saying, it has no right to do so, as it has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.
