Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are set to resume a second day of talks over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear energy program in the Austrian capital, Vienna.

The Iranian and IAEA delegations wrapped up the first day of the negotiations on Monday.

Iran’s Ambassador to the IAEA Reza Najafi is heading the Iranian delegation, while IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards Herman Nackaerts leads the Agency’s team.

The previous round of the talks between Iran and the IAEA was held on September 27. Nackaerts has hailed the last meeting as “very constructive.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi offered new proposals to IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano in a Monday meeting ahead of the talks.


Araqchi said Iran is keen to improve its cooperation with the agency, adding that Tehran has also expressed its readiness to “respond to all IAEA questions and ambiguities in a short period of time.”

The United States, Israel and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran has categorically rejected the allegation, stressing that as a committed member of the IAEA and a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it is entitled to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities, but has never found any evidence showing that the Iranian nuclear program has been diverted toward non-civilian objectives.

HK