The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been allowed by Iran to access two suspected former secret nuclear sites. The agreement reached on Wednesday came during a visit by IAEA chief Rafael Grossi to Tehran for high-level talks.
“Iran is voluntarily providing the IAEA with access to the two locations specified by the IAEA,” Grossi and the head of Iran’s nuclear agency, Ali Akbar Salehi, said in a joint statement. “Dates for the IAEA access and the verification activities have been agreed.”
In exchange, the IAEA said it would pursue no further questions regarding this issue. The IAEA had for months sought access to the sites in Tehran and Isfahan where Iran is suspected of having stored or used undeclared nuclear material.
In June, the IAEA stepped up pressure on Iran when its Board of Governors passed a resolution calling it to let inspectors into the sites and cooperate with the agency. Until Wednesday, however, Tehran had refused to grant access.
“Iran, like before, is ready to cooperate with the IAEA,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told Grossi on Wednesday, according to state media.