Abbas Araqchi said he will meet Rafael Grossi on Monday in Geneva, a day before a second round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States. The meeting with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will include nuclear experts and focus on technical discussions tied to monitoring and verification.
Renewed Negotiations Amid Military Tensions
Tehran and Washington resumed negotiations earlier this month to address their long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme and to prevent escalation as U.S. warships, including a second aircraft carrier, deploy to the region. Araqchi said he arrived in Geneva with “real ideas” for a fair agreement, stressing that Iran would not submit to pressure.
Scope of Talks Remains Disputed
Washington has pushed to broaden negotiations to include Iran’s missile programme and regional security concerns. Tehran insists the talks must focus strictly on nuclear limits in exchange for sanctions relief and rejects demands for zero uranium enrichment, calling enrichment a sovereign right.
Legacy of Stalled Talks and Strikes
Earlier negotiations stalled after the United States demanded Iran abandon domestic enrichment, which Washington views as a pathway to nuclear weapons capability. Prior to the resumption of talks, the U.S. joined Israel in strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, further complicating diplomacy.
Iran maintains its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes and says it is prepared to build confidence that enrichment will remain peaceful.
Inspection Disputes and Enriched Uranium Concerns
The IAEA has urged Iran to clarify the status of roughly 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium following the strikes and to allow full inspections to resume at key facilities, including Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan. Tehran says the bombed sites are unsafe and has called on the agency to clarify its position regarding the attacks.
Fragile Monitoring Agreement
A monitoring agreement announced by Iran and the IAEA in Cairo last September was intended to restore full verification. Tehran later scrapped the arrangement after Western powers reinstated UN sanctions, underscoring the fragility of oversight efforts and the broader diplomatic process.
Outlook
The meeting between Araqchi and Grossi is expected to shape the technical groundwork for the upcoming U.S.–Iran negotiations. With disputes over enrichment, inspections and sanctions relief unresolved, the Geneva talks will test whether both sides can rebuild trust and avert a new regional confrontation.
With information from Reuters.
