Reuters. United Nations nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran on Wednesday (April 16) ahead of a planned second round of talks between Iran and the United States on Tehran's disputed nuclear program.
Grossi is visiting Iran in an attempt to narrow gaps between Tehran and the agency over unresolved issues, Iranian media reported.
"Cooperation with the IAEA is indispensable to provide credible assurances about the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme at a time when diplomacy is urgently needed," Grossi said on X after his meeting with Araqchi.
The talks with the U.S., which began in Oman on Saturday with the Gulf state acting as mediator, are the first between the two adversaries under U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened military action if there is no deal.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday Iran's right to enrich uranium was not negotiable.
Araqchi was responding to a comment made on Tuesday by top U.S. negotiator Steve Witkoff, who said the Islamic Republic must "stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment" to reach a deal with Washington.
Last weekend’s U.S.-Iran talks in Oman were described by both sides as positive and constructive.
Western powers say Iran is refining uranium to a high degree of fissile purity beyond what is justifiable for a civilian energy program and close to the level suitable for atomic bomb fuel. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons.
