Iran demands closure of IAEA probes for ‘sustainable’ nuclear deal

Foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani reiterated Iran’s demands to end probe, risking hurting chances of saving the deal as Washington rejects linking it to the IAEA investigation. (File/AFP)

• Last week, Iran sent its latest response to an EU-drafted text aimed at overcoming an impasse to revive the nuclear pact

DUBAI: Iran is seeking the closure of the UN nuclear agency’s investigation of its nuclear activities among other guarantees, in order to revive the country’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, a senior Iranian official said on Monday.
“An end to the agency’s probes is part of the guarantees that we are seeking to have a sustainable and durable nuclear agreement,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani told a televised news conference.
Last week, Iran sent its latest response to an EU-drafted text aimed at overcoming an impasse to revive the nuclear pact, under which it had restrained its nuclear program in exchange for relief from US, EU and UN economic sanctions.
Iran’s demand risks hurting the chances of saving the deal because Washington has rejected linking it to the agency’s investigation.
After months of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, the nuclear deal appeared near revival in March. But negotiations broke down over several issues, including Tehran’s insistence that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) close its probes into uranium traces found at three undeclared sites before the nuclear pact is revived.