Rafael Grossi, head of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is set to visit Iran for high-level talks, Iranian state media reported on Sunday. Grossi is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday following an invitation from the Iranian government, with formal meetings planned for Thursday.
This will be Grossi’s second visit to Iran in 2024, after his trip in May when he urged Iran to adopt “concrete” actions to strengthen cooperation regarding its nuclear program. That visit included a news conference held in Isfahan province, where the Natanz uranium enrichment facility is located.
The timing of Grossi’s visit follows Donald Trump’s recent victory in the U.S. presidential election. During his previous term, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear deal intended to limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for easing sanctions. Despite mediation efforts led by the European Union, negotiations to bring the U.S. back into the agreement and restore Iran’s compliance have stalled. Since the U.S. withdrawal, Iran has gradually suspended its commitments under the accord, sparking recurring tensions with the IAEA over nuclear transparency and compliance.
Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, who assumed office in July, has expressed support for reactivating the nuclear deal and ending Iran’s diplomatic and economic isolation. The administration has shown an openness to dialogue to stabilize the region, and Iran maintains that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes.
On Tuesday, Trump stated that he seeks no harm against Iran but stressed that the country “cannot possess a nuclear weapon.” Iran has repeatedly denied any intentions of developing nuclear arms, asserting that its program is for civilian uses only.
Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif urged the U.S. administration to reconsider the “maximum pressure” policy, which has imposed severe sanctions on Iran. He attributed the rise in uranium enrichment levels, from 3.5 percent to 60 percent, to this policy.
