Ahead of this week’s meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors, Iran expressed its hope that discussions surrounding its nuclear program would proceed free from political pressures and external interference.
“Our emphasis in all our efforts and negotiations has been to ensure that the IAEA carries out its technical work free from the destructive and evil pressures of some parties,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated during a weekly press conference.
Last week, IAEA Chief Rafael Mariano Grossi visited Iran to hold talks with senior officials, including President Massoud Pezeshkian, and inspected the Fordo and Natanz nuclear sites. His visit preceded the upcoming IAEA board meeting in Vienna, where Britain, Germany, and France are expected to propose a new resolution criticizing Iran.
Baghaei emphasized Iran’s desire for the discussions to remain “technical” and “free from political pressures and considerations.” He described Grossi’s visit as “useful and positive,” noting that it fostered a “mutual understanding” between Tehran and the agency.
The backdrop to these developments is the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, under which Tehran received sanctions relief in exchange for limiting its nuclear activities. The agreement collapsed in 2018 when the United States, under then-President Donald Trump, unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reinstated sanctions.
In response, Iran escalated its uranium enrichment levels to 60%, approaching the threshold required for a nuclear bomb but stopping short of weapons-grade material.
