IAEA Pressures Iran as Fate of Talks on Nuclear Deal Hangs in Balance

The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Vienna, Austria May 23, 2021. (Reuters)
The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Vienna, Austria May 23, 2021. (Reuters)
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IAEA Pressures Iran as Fate of Talks on Nuclear Deal Hangs in Balance

The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Vienna, Austria May 23, 2021. (Reuters)
The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Vienna, Austria May 23, 2021. (Reuters)

The UN atomic watchdog chided Iran on Tuesday for failing to answer questions including on uranium traces found at three undeclared sites, which could complicate the resumption of talks to revive Iran's nuclear deal.

Former President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the deal, under which Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions, and Tehran has responded by violating many of those restrictions.

Indirect talks between the United States and Iran on both countries returning to compliance have stopped while Iran's new, hardline President Ebrahim Raisi has taken office. France and Germany have called on Iran to return soon and Raisi has said Tehran is prepared to but not under Western "pressure".

Tuesday's comments from the International Atomic Energy Agency calling out Iran for failing to explain uranium traces found last year and in 2019 at old but undeclared sites could make that diplomacy more difficult.

The IAEA is charged with monitoring Iran's nuclear program including compliance with the deal. Washington and its European allies must now decide whether to push for a resolution criticizing Iran at next week's meeting of the 35-nation IAEA Board of Governors.

A resolution would add to the pressure on Tehran to provide answers that could help the IAEA account for nuclear material that once was at these sites. It could, however, also make resuming the talks on the 2015 nuclear deal harder, since Tehran has previously bristled at such moves.

"The Director General is increasingly concerned that even after some two years the safeguards issues outlined above in relation to the four locations in Iran not declared to the Agency remain unresolved," the IAEA said in one of two quarterly reports on Iran.

The confidential reports by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to member states, issued ahead of next week's meeting of its 35-nation Board of Governors, were reviewed by Reuters. The second report said Iran must resolve outstanding issues relating to the sites, which include questions about a fourth location the IAEA has not inspected, "without further delay".



Russian Delegation Heads to Türkiye for Talks with Ukraine, News Agencies Say 

A security personnel stands guard in front of the Ciragan Palace before the third meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations for peace talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
A security personnel stands guard in front of the Ciragan Palace before the third meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations for peace talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
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Russian Delegation Heads to Türkiye for Talks with Ukraine, News Agencies Say 

A security personnel stands guard in front of the Ciragan Palace before the third meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations for peace talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
A security personnel stands guard in front of the Ciragan Palace before the third meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations for peace talks in Istanbul, Türkiye, 23 July 2025. (EPA)

Russian negotiators are flying to Türkiye for the first peace talks with Ukraine in more than seven weeks, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

State agency TASS said talks would take place later on Wednesday in Istanbul.

Data from tracking site Flightradar24 showed the plane used by Russian delegation chief Vladimir Medinsky to fly to previous talks in Istanbul had taken off from Moscow.

The warring sides held two previous rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers.

But they have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war.

US President Donald Trump last week threatened heavy new sanctions on Russia and countries that buy its exports unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days.

But three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin, unfazed by Trump's ultimatum, would keep on fighting in Ukraine until the West engaged on his terms for peace, and that his territorial demands may widen as Russian forces advance.