Iran's FM says Tehran, IAEA "very close" to agreeing on new cooperation framework

TEHRAN, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are "very close" to agreeing on a new framework for the resumption of bilateral cooperation.

He made the remarks at a conference in Tehran while commenting on the future cooperation between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog, as well as the results of a new round of talks between the two sides, which began in Vienna on Friday, according to the official news agency IRNA.

"As far as I know, good negotiations have been held and we are very close to arriving at a new cooperation framework with the agency itself," said Araghchi.

He said a favorable cooperation for Iran would be one in which the country's concerns, "which have been specifically reflected in the parliament's law," were taken into account.

Turning to the possibility of resuming nuclear talks with the United States, the foreign minister said messages were being exchanged between the two sides through mediators.

Araghchi stressed, "The day the Americans come to the conclusion that they have the readiness for negotiations based on common interests and mutual respect, we will also be ready to begin dialogue."

Iran and the United States were scheduled to hold the sixth round of their indirect nuclear negotiations on June 15 in Oman. The talks were suspended after Israel launched major airstrikes on June 13, targeting several Iranian sites, including nuclear and military facilities. U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites followed on June 22.

As a response, the Iranian parliament overwhelmingly passed a law to suspend cooperation with the IAEA. The bill prohibits IAEA inspectors from accessing Iran's nuclear sites unless the Supreme National Security Council certifies that the sites are secure and that Iran's sovereignty is fully respected. Enditem