TEHRAN, 24 November 2021, (TON): Less than a week prior to resumption of nuclear talks in Vienna, the UN nuclear watchdog chief met with top Iranian officials in Tehran.

The first meeting between the two officials “Rafael Grossi, the head of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), during his whirlwind visit held talks with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.”

A statement by the Foreign Ministry said “Iran's top diplomat expressed his country's willingness to "constructively interact" with the IAEA within the framework of the Safeguards Agreement.”

He also stressed the importance of the UN agency's "technical, professional and impartial work" as well as the need to "avoid foreign political pressures."

The statement said “the visiting UN official, for his part, expressed readiness to continue close cooperation with Iran and to "resolve remaining technical issues" between the two sides.”

Earlier, Grossi held wide-ranging talks followed by a joint press conference with Iran's nuclear agency chief Mohammad Eslami, during which both officials agreed to "bolster cooperation and seek common ground" on outstanding technical issues.

Describing his work in Tehran as "intense", Grossi said there are multiple issues that need clarification.

Eslami told reporters that the UN official acknowledged he had not seen any diversion in Iran's nuclear activities, and emphasized that all issues between the two sides are of technical nature.