Iran nuclear case out of IAEA focus

Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO) Ali Akbar Salehi says the country’s nuclear case is no longer the main focus of debate at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Speaking to IRNA on Thursday, Salehi said China and Russia were reluctant to turn the spotlight on Iran’s nuclear issue at the recent 54th General Conference of the IAEA held in Vienna.

He noted that the IAEA chief, Yukia Amano, only made a brief reference to the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program during his speech at the recent IAEA meeting.

A high-ranking Iranian delegation met with the IAEA chief in Vienna on Wednesday to discuss the issue of supply of fuel to the Tehran research reactor.

The two sides expressed hope for the expansion of cooperation and interactions, Salehi explained.

At the end of the meeting, the IAEA chief expressed optimism for a possible meeting between Iran and the Vienna Group — France, Russia, the US and the IAEA — to be held soon.

Tehran has declared that the Tehran declaration will be the basis on future talks on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Foreign ministers of Iran, Turkey, and Brazil signed the declaration in the Iranian capital Tehran on May 17, according to which the Islamic Republic would ship 1200 kilograms of its low-enriched uranium to Turkey to be exchanged for 120 kilograms of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel rods to power the Tehran research reactor, which produces radioisotopes for cancer treatment.