Iran, IAEA to Continue Talks

Iran today said it would continue discussing its nuclear program with the International Atomic Energy Agency following the nation’s second round of talks this month with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Aug. 19).

IAEA safeguards chief Olli Heinonen began another round of talks Monday in Tehran with Iranian officials.  He planned to depart yesterday, Iranian state media reported.

"The negotiations held over the past three days were positive and will continue," said Iranian Atomic Energy Organization deputy chief Mohammad Saeedi.  “The two sides have agreed to continue these discussions.”

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, added that "negotiations … on technical cooperation between Iran and the IAEA will continue."

Neither side has disclosed details on the focus of the recent discussions, but Heinonen has visited Tehran in recent months in an attempt to clarify Iran’s nuclear intentions.  Iran insists the program is strictly aimed at producing civilian energy, but Western nations have expressed concern it could support nuclear-weapon development (Agence France-Presse/Google News, Aug. 20).

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