WASHINGTON, 24 November 2021, (TON): State media said “the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency began talks in Tehran, a week before the resumption of negotiations to salvage the Iran nuclear deal.”

The official news agency said “a day after arriving in the Iranian capital, the IAEA’s Rafael Grossi opened discussions with the chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami.”

Later, he was to meet for the first time with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who is in charge of nuclear issues in Iran’s new government.

The talks come ahead of the scheduled resumption next Monday of negotiations between Tehran and world powers aimed at saving the 2015 deal that gave Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

Hours before Grossi’s arrival, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh expressed hopes that his visit would be “constructive”.

He said “we have always advised the IAEA to stay on the path of technical cooperation, and to not let certain countries pursue their political orientations on behalf of the IAEA.”

Grossi’s visit comes after the IAEA said last Wednesday that Iran had boosted its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to 2,489.7 kilograms — many times in excess of the limit laid down in the 2015 agreement.