Iran has held high-level talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the dispute over its nuclear program. The “in-depth technical discussions” in Geneva served to prepare the next round of negotiations between Iran and the United States on Tuesday, IAEA chief Grossi wrote on X after his meeting with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The Iranian foreign minister was accompanied by his country’s nuclear experts. Araghtschi had already traveled to Switzerland on Sunday for the next round of negotiations with the USA.
At the beginning of February, both states began a new dialogue in the Gulf state of Oman following military threats from US President Donald Trump. The Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Bussaidi is once again mediating in Geneva. Switzerland is valued as a neutral mediator by the Iranian government and some Gulf states.
Tensions between IAEA and Iran
Relations between the Iranian government and the IAEA deteriorated significantly after Israel’s war against the country last year. The US joined the attacks and bombed key nuclear facilities, including uranium enrichment facilities. Trump then declared that the facilities were completely “destroyed.” However, the whereabouts of around 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium remained unclear.
Iran then restricted the access of nuclear watchdogs. It was not until September 2025 that Tehran agreed with the IAEA to resume controls. To what extent these will take place and whether they are currently taking place is unclear. Grossi himself was targeted by Iranian hardliners. An ultra-conservative newspaper accused him of being an Israeli spy and called for the death penalty. According to some government officials, the IAEA chief had not been critical enough of the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities.
