Iran Promises To Cooperate With UN Nuclear Watchdog, Joint Statement Says After Grossi Visit

(RFE/RL) -- Iran has vowed to cooperate with the UN's nuclear watchdog to resolve outstanding issues after inspections reportedly showed that Tehran had enriched uranium to near nuclear-weapons grade, a joint statement from both sides said.

"Iran expressed its readiness to...provide further information and access to address the outstanding safeguards issues," a joint statement by the Iranian government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on March 4.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, speaking to reporters in Vienna following a two-day visit to Tehran, said the new agreement includes the reinstallation of monitoring equipment and would allow access to experts for an investigation into uranium traces at three undeclared sites.

"There was a reduction in monitoring activities related to cameras and monitoring systems. We have agreed that both will be operating again," he said.

Grossi said subsequent meetings on various issues would happen "very, very soon."

Diplomats said Grossi’s visit and meetings with Iranian officials were meant to push Tehran to cooperate with a probe into uranium traces found at undeclared sites that reportedly had been enriched to 84 percent.

Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, earlier denied in a joint news conference with Grossi that Iran is enriching uranium with an 84 percent concentration.

Grossi also met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian during his two-day visit.

Earlier on March 4, Grossi said that a work package based on honesty and cooperation with Tehran for transparency in regards to Iran's nuclear program was "very important" for him and the agency. 

During a news conference, Iranian government-controlled media repeatedly asked Grossi about the "influence of Israel and the United States" in the agency's reports about Iran.

The IAEA chief said the allegations "make me angry.... There is no interference.... If you are concerned about infiltration and rumors, then cooperate."

Grossi's visit followed a Bloomberg News report quoting a senior U.S. Defense Department official as saying Iran was less than 12 days away from obtaining the fissile material necessary to produce an atomic bomb.