Islam Times - Iran Ready for Nuclear Coop. If IAEA Takes Interaction Path

Islam Times - Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that his country is ready for cooperation on its nuclear energy program in case the UN nuclear agency takes the path of interaction.

Araghchi made the remarks on Saturday night in a live interview broadcast on Iranian state TV, taking questions on various issues from Iran’s nuclear program to the country’s policy over the ongoing developments in the West Asia region.

He said that Iran is ready for cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if the agency takes the path of interaction; otherwise, Iran will take new measures in case that the agency’s Board of Governors issues a new resolution against Iran.

"Our behavior towards the IAEA is completely professional. The agency is a technical body and should fulfill its duties in the technical field, and it does not have the right to enter political fields", the Iranian foreign minister noted.

Araghchi said that Iran’s approach was conveyed to the IAEA director general Rafael Grossi during his latest trip to the Islamic Republic earlier in the week.

The minister reiterated that Iran remains committed to its obligations under the IAEA as well as the nuclear non-proliferation treaty known as NPT.

He said however that Iran has stopped its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, which is officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in response to the US withdrawal from the deal and Europe’s failure to compensate for Washington’s pullout.

Yet, Iran is ready for talks over the JCPOA, and negotiations with Europe may begin soon, Araghchi noted.

No meeting between Musk, Iran's UN envoy

Elsewhere in his interview, Araghchi said that no meeting took place between Iran’s ambassador to the UN and Elon Musk in New York, dismissing American media reports on such a meeting.

Araghchi also explained that Iran delayed denying the reports because it believed that they were unworthy to respond and could be media hype against the Islamic Republic.

Regarding ties with the United States, the top Iranian diplomat said that his country is waiting for the new American administration to be formed and its policies to be announced.

‘We pursue our policies and principles and arrange them based on our interests as well as goals and ideals. We will behave the new US administration based on their policies”, Araghchi said.

Regional stance on Israeli aggression

Araghchi referred to the regional tours that he took in the past weeks amid heightened tensions between Iran and the Israeli regime.

He said, during his meetings with regional leaders, he clarified that Israel is seeking to expand the war in the region and that collective efforts are needed to stop the regime. According to the top diplomat, his negotiations yielded positive results.