US-Iran Negotiations Advance to Phase 4 in Vienna, the Role of the UN Nuclear Supervisory Agency is Key
JAKARTA - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or the United Nations Nuclear Supervisory Agency revealed that it was involved in the US-Iran nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman, since the first phase of negotiations on Tuesday, February 17.
Up to the third phase of negotiations in Geneva on Thursday, February 26, the IAEA said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi was present "to provide advice on issues relevant to the verification of Iran's nuclear program."
The IAEA's involvement was known after the UN Nuclear Regulatory Agency released a confidential report circulated on Friday, February 27, to IAEA member states and seen by AP.
The report also said U.S.-Iranian nuclear talks "are still ongoing."
The third stage of the nuclear talks ended without an agreement on the table, which has a high potential for a sudden outbreak of war given that the US has gathered large-scale fighter planes and warships in the Middle East near Iran.
However, the mediator, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman Badr Al-Busaidi, said that the US-Iran had agreed to extend the negotiations in Vienna, the headquarters of the United Nations Nuclear Supervisory Agency, next week.
The continued negotiations have a technical agenda involving low-level representatives. The UN Nuclear Supervisory Agency is likely to play an important role in reaching an agreement in the fourth phase of negotiations.
The US has so far continued to pressure Iran to limit its nuclear program and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons.
Iran insists it is not developing nuclear weapons and has so far rejected demands to halt uranium enrichment on its territory or hand over its highly enriched uranium stockpile.
Similar negotiations between the US and Iran on Iran's nuclear program were also held in 2025. However, the negotiations were forced to fail due to external factors from Israel, which launched a 12-day attack on Iran, including bombing Iranian nuclear sites with the help of the US.
Before the June 2025 war, Iran was said to have enriched uranium to 60 percent purity.