International IAEA chief travels to Tehran ahead of next nuclear talks
Ahead of the next round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, is putting pressure on the government in Tehran.
14.04.2025, 14:23
SDA
He will travel to the Iranian capital this week, he announced. According to Iranian media reports, he is expected there on Wednesday.
"At a time when diplomatic solutions are urgently needed, continued cooperation with the IAEA is crucial," Grossi wrote on Twitter. Tehran's lack of cooperation with IAEA inspectors is one of the main reasons for the growing tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear program, along with the production of uranium that is almost suitable for nuclear weapons.
The US government and other Western states, including Israel, want to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from developing its own nuclear weapons. During his first term in office, however, Trump unilaterally withdrew from the so-called Vienna nuclear pact in 2018, which was intended to restrict Iran's nuclear program and lift sanctions in return. Tehran then no longer complied with the conditions of the agreement.
Rome agrees to host next US-Iran talks
US President Donald Trump recently threatened military consequences if Tehran did not agree to limit its nuclear program. Last Saturday, the US and Iran began talks on a possible new nuclear agreement in Muscat after years of ice age. Oman acted as mediator. The USA and Iran described the two-and-a-half-hour talks as respectful and constructive and agreed to continue them.
The next round of talks is expected to take place in Rome on Saturday. Iran, the USA and Oman had made a corresponding request "and we have given a positive response", said Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Osaka, as reported by the Ansa agency.
