IAEA head meets with Iranian atomic chief amid dispute on undeclared nuclear sites

VIENNA — The chief of the UN’s nuclear watchdog said Monday he had met with the head of Iran’s atomic energy agency, as attempts to revive the country’s nuclear deal stall.

Efforts to salvage a tattered 2015 agreement — which offered an easing of international sanctions in exchange for a drastic limitation of Iran’s nuclear activities — have flailed since then-US president Donald Trump had America withdraw from it in 2018.

The United States reimposed biting sanctions, provoking Tehran into stepping back from its nuclear commitments, greatly increasing its stock of enriched uranium and turning off monitoring cameras operated by the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

But after months of friction, the two sides met face-to-face in Vienna.

“Dialogue has restarted with Iran on clarification of outstanding safeguards issues,” Rafael Grossi tweeted Monday. READ MORE