Foreign Minister Araghchi Says Iran's Demands Are Fulfilled In New Deal With The IAEA

JAKARTA - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the new agreement with the UN nuclear body, mediated by Egypt, met all Tehran's demands, answered legitimate state security concerns, acknowledged its nuclear rights, and was in accordance with laws passed by the Iranian Parliament.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting in Cairo, Foreign Minister Araghchi said negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding a new framework had taken place with authorization from Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), reaching a stage requiring high-level talks to complete the script.

He explained that both the decision to enter negotiations and the provisions needed to protect Iran's position had been reviewed and approved by the SNSC.

According to him, the most important feature of this final document is recognition of the new reality, which confirms the cooperation between Iran and the IAEA will no longer run in the old way.

On the other hand, he said, the agreement explicitly acknowledged Iran's legitimate security concerns and required it to be addressed.

Foreign Minister Araghchi noted that the agreement also upholds a law passed by the Iranian Parliament, which stipulates that all cooperation must be carried out with the approval of the SNSC.

The agreement, he added, officially recognizes the legal route as a framework for Iran's coordination with the IAEA.

"This new framework is in complete line with parliamentary laws, considers Iran's security concerns, recognizes Iran's rights, and defines a new form of cooperation with the agency," Foreign Minister AragCHI said, launching Tasnim September 10.

"All of this is our demands, and everything is listed in this agreement," he added.

He also explained that based on the agreement, IAEA inspectors would not receive access outside the ongoing arrangement at the Bushehr PLTN, where access has been granted for fuel replacement purposes based on the previous SNSC decision.

"This agreement itself does not create new access," he stressed, adding that future access would depend on new negotiations based on Iran's upcoming reports.

Foreign Minister Araghchi underlined that the continuation of this agreement relies on the absence of hostile actions against Iran, including efforts to revive UN Security Council resolutions under the so-called Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) snapshotback mechanism or 2015 Nuclear Deal.

He stressed that the agreement reached with Egyptian participation and support now has additional weight and credibility.

Foreign Minister Araghchi hopes that this agreement will pave the way for diplomatic solutions, provided that other parties are seriously seeking diplomacy in practice, not just words.

As previously reported, Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday they had reached an agreement to continue inspections at locations, including those bombed by the United States and Israel, but gave no further details.

The agreement reached between International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Head Rafael Grossi and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a meeting in Cairo, Egypt will in principle pave the way for the full resumption of inspections disrupted by a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities in June, quoted by Reuters.

The deal comes amid continued threats from European countries to reimpose broad sanctions against Iran that have been lifted under the 2015 Nuclear Deal between Iran and major countries.

The European countries - France, Britain and Germany (E3) - have started the so-called "snapback" process which will last until the end of this month.