The Iran Project - The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, emphasized the need for serious cooperation between Iran and the Agency according to their joint statement.

Grossi made the remarks at the IAEA's Board of Governors in Vienna on Monday, calling on Iran to adhere by the Joint Statement signed in Tehran on March 4th and cooperate with the IAEA accordingly.

He clarified that there is no connection between the IAEA's cooperation with Iran and the recent indirect talks between Iran and the United States or the prisoner swap between them.

Grossi stated that his main concern is solely the nuclear issue with Iran.

He highlighted that there has not been significant progress in relations between Iran and the IAEA regarding outstanding issues, as indicated in the recent IAEA report on Iran's nuclear program.

According to Grossi, the joint statement was meant to be a gradual process of confidence-building, including increased electronic presence by the Agency in Iran through CCTV cameras, among other measures.

The issue of access to recorded data by these cameras in Iran was supposed to be addressed.

However, an agreement on this matter has not been reached yet.

Grossi refused to comment on whether a resolution against Iran is warranted based on the alleged disappointment expressed in the IAEA's latest report.

He stressed that the resolution is within the jurisdiction of the member states of the agency.

In his Introductory Statement to the Board of Governors, Grossi mentioned that Iran's decision in February 2021 to stop implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) significantly impacted the Agency's verification and monitoring activities related to the JCPOA.

He also expressed regret over the lack of progress in implementing the activities outlined in the Joint Statement signed in Tehran on March 4th.

Grossi urged Iran to provide technically credible explanations for the presence of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at Varamin and Turquzabad, as well as information on the current location(s) of related nuclear material and contaminated equipment.

He emphasized that resolving these outstanding safeguards issues is crucial for the Agency to ensure Iran's nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.

Grossi called upon Iran to work earnestly and consistently with the Agency to fulfill the commitments outlined in the Joint Statement.

Iran had taken steps away from the JCPOA following the US's unilateral withdrawal from the agreement and the indifference of the remaining E3 participants to the US sanctions on Iran.

Tehran has vowed that it will reverse course and will fully abide by the deal when the Western parties remove all the sanctions against it in accordance with the text of the JCPOA.