Russia: Iran, IAEA agree on 'concrete steps' to settle outstanding safeguards issues

A senior Russian diplomat has hailed as "very successful" a recent visit by Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi to Iran, saying both sides decided to take "concrete steps" to settle outstanding safeguards issues in due time.

Mikhail Ulyanov, the head of the Russian delegation to the ongoing talks between Iran and the P4+1 group of countries in the Austrian capital of Vienna, made the remarks in a post on his Twitter account on Sunday, a day after Iran and the IAEA agreed on a roadmap to resolve all outstanding issues, which could help secure the revival of the 2015 Iran deal with world powers.

"The two sides agreed on concrete steps aimed at settling outstanding safeguards issues within a reasonable period of time. Great achievement!" Ulyanov, who serves as Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, tweeted.

Speaking in a joint news conference with the UN nuclear chief in Tehran on Saturday, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami said the two sides had come to the conclusion that some documents, which need to be exchanged between them should be exchanged by June 21.

Iran, IAEA agree roadmap to resolve all outstanding issues to help secure JCPOA revival

Iran

He added that Iran and the UN nuclear agency emphasized that the remaining issues between the two sides should be solved "within the framework of its own regulations and with no political influence, lobbying or interference that can affect the agency's decisions on its conduct towards and its interactions with Iran."

IAEA chief: We are moving into more cooperative relationship with Iran

The IAEA chief says the agency and Iran are developing a more cooperative relationship in an improved atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Grossi told a press conference in Vienna on Saturday night after returning from Tehran that the UN nuclear watchdog and Iran are developing a more cooperative relationship in order to resolve what he called open issues with Iran.

Iran negotiator, EU coordinator meet in Vienna

Also on Sunday, Iran's lead negotiator to the Vienna talks Ali Bagheri Kani and Enrique Mora, the European Union's coordinator for the talks, held a bilateral meeting.

Senior representatives of the three European signatories to the JCPOA -- Britain, France and Germany -- returned to their capitals on Friday.

"We are close. E3 negotiators leaving Vienna briefly to update Ministers on state of play. Ready to return soon," Stephanie Al-Qaq said on Twitter.

The Austrian capital has been hosting eight rounds of talks since last year aimed at reviving the deal, which is officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The US unilaterally left the JCPOA in 2018, and restored the sanctions that had been lifted under the accord. Washington’s European allies in the deal—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—have been toeing the sanctions line closely by ending their trade activities with Iran.

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