Iran's meeting with the UN's nuclear watchdog in Vienna Tuesday was reportedly "productive," according to Reuters.
Tero Varjoranta, IAEA's deputy director general in charge of nuclear inspections, told reporters in Vienna that the UN nuclear watchdog and Iran “had a very productive meeting on past and present issues.”
The two-day meetings in the Austrian capital were held to advance IAEA's inquiries into Iran's atomic activities. The two parties agreed to commence a second round of meetings in Tehran on November 11, according to a joint statement issued by IAEA and Iran Tuesday.
Iran's Ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, said Tehran presented "new ideas" to IAEA on how to solve disputes with the UN and the West over the country's nuclear program. The latter parties have been concerned with Iran's potential investments, research and development of nuclear bombs despite its membership to a global non-proliferation treaty.
Najafi told reporters, “I believe (that), with the submission of these new proposals by Iran, we have been able to open a new chapter of cooperation. The ultimate goal would be resolution of all remaining issues.”
The positive tone of Tuesday's announcement marks a change of direction in the IAEA-Iran relationship after a series of meetings in early 2012 failed, raising hopes that the current negotiations may successfully reduce tension between the West and Iran over the latter's nuclear program accordingly.
