An Iranian nuclear negotiator says he held “constructive and good” talks with the UN nuclear agency chief Yukiya Amano on how to implement a nuclear agreement reached between Iran and six world powers in July, Press TV reports.
“This meeting was in line with the roadmap that we had with the agency,” Abbas Araqchi told Press TV reporter on Tuesday after his talks with the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the Austrian capital of Vienna.
He added that based on the roadmap, Iran and the IAEA should hold a wrap-up meeting before the agency gives its final assessment on the so-called possible military dimensions (PMD).
Araqchi, who is Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said experts from Iran and the IAEA also held a meeting on Tuesday.
“We think that we are in a good direction,” the Iranian official pointed out.
On July 14, Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers – the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany – finalized the text of the JCPOA in Vienna.
Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related economic and financial bans against the Islamic Republic.
On July 14, Iran and the IAEA also signed in Vienna a roadmap regarding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear work.
Araqchi further said that the IAEA would provide its final assessment to its Board of Governors soon.
“The Board would consider this assessment and conclude its consideration of the PMD case…so we can proceed with the other parts of JCPOA,” he added.
Russia sanctions enrichment hardware supply to Iran
Araqchi also said Russia’s decision to lift the ban on export of uranium enrichment hardware to Iran was “actually based on the JCPOA.”
“Based on JCPOA, Iran is allowed to sell its enriched uranium material and to buy natural uranium or yellow cake in return….So, we can have this business with Russia,” he said.
He noted that Iran and Russia have concluded talks on this issue and would sign a deal soon to begin this swap.
“We will sell our enriched uranium to Russia and we will buy yellow cake in return," Araqchi said.
He said Iran’s enriched uranium can be shipped out after the closure of the PMD question.
“We will wait for a decision by the Board of Governors of the IAEA to close the PMD file so then afterwards the deal can be implemented," Araqchi added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree lifting the ban on supplying Iran with equipment for uranium enrichment.
According to Putin’s decree, “The ban on supplying goods, materials and equipment no longer applies ‘to the exports of the enriched uranium from the Islamic Republic of Iran.’”
The decision to export low-enriched uranium from Iran to Russia was reached within the framework of the JCPOA.