IAEA chief to visit Iran for talks on inspection deal

Tehran, Iran (4E) – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Yukiya Amano will visit Iran to resume stalled talks aimed at forging an agreement on the inspection of nuclear facilities.

Iran’s foreign ministry revealed the planned visit Wednesday. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Amano is seeking to inspect the military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program.

No date of the visit was set. Salehi said Iran’s ambassador in Vienna will meet with Amano to talk about the visit. The IAEA is based in the Austrian capital.

The agency has been negotiating with Tehran on the inspection of past nuclear weapons research activities of Iran since the start of the year. Past meetings, however, failed to set an agreement on access to Iran’s nuclear reactor sites, scientists and documents linked to the development of a nuclear weapon.

One site sought for inspection is in Parchin near Tehran. But the Iranian government is refusing access to the site and the suspension of its controversial uranium enrichment program unless international sanctions against Iran are lifted and its right to pursue nuclear technology for civilian use is recognized.

Amano last visited Iran in May.

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