Iran opens door to restoring nuclear surveillance, UN watchdog says

Iran has agreed to allow a technical team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to discuss restoring camera surveillance in Iranian nuclear facilities, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed the agency would send a technical team to Iran following his visit to Tehran this month.

Grossi said his impression is that the Islamic Republic's leaders are "seriously engaged in discussions... with a sense of trying to get to an agreement."

The UN body would be the party responsible for verifying Iran's compliance with a deal, Grossi said. "This will have to be verified by the IAEA.''

Behrouz Kamalvandi, the spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said on Friday that a deputy to the head of the UN nuclear watchdog will visit Tehran in the coming two weeks to continue high-level technical talks.

Kamalvandi added that discussions aim to resolve recurring issues in IAEA reports that, according to Tehran, have contributed to mounting political pressure rather than advancing technical cooperation.

Although the IAEA is not formally part of the Iran-US negotiations, Grossi said he had been in direct contact with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff regarding ongoing nuclear talks with Iran.

“I have enormous respect for Ambassador Witkoff — I’ve been talking to him,” he said. “I see there is a group of very dedicated professionals behind him.”

Grossi met with Witkoff in Rome last weekend, Bloomberg reported citing a diplomat familiar with the exchange.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that progress in nuclear talks with the United States could be possible if Washington continues what he described as a constructive approach.

“If the American side continues a constructive approach and avoids unrealistic demands, we can reach a good agreement,” Araghchi said during a visit to Beijing.

Witkoff and Araghchi are due to meet again on Saturday for a third round of negotiations.