VIENNA, September 15. /TASS/. Any resolution of the Iranian nuclear program’s issues is possible only through diplomacy, Alexey Likhachev, CEO of Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, said at an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference in Vienna.
"We also believe that the solution of issues related to Iran’s nuclear program is possible only diplomatically. We welcome the agreements between Tehran and the agency on restoring the application of IAEA guarantees in Iran reached on September 9. This is a remarkable example showing that even the most complex tasks can be resolved through dialogue. We are ready to assist in every way to seeking negotiation resolutions based on international law and in accordance with Article 4 of the NPT (the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons - TASS)," he noted.
On September 9 in Egypt, Iran and the IAEA signed an agreement on resuming cooperation suspended after Israeli and US June attacks, as the absence of the IAEA’s condemnation of the countries that attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities sparked backlash in Iran. Following the signing of the document, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi explained that the new cooperation procedure between Tehran and the agency fully complies with the requirements of both sides. However, in the event of the resumption of any hostile acts against the Islamic republic, all interaction with the IAEA will be halted, he added.
Iranian nuclear issue
The five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany struck a nuclear deal with Iran in 2015 to address the crisis over its nuclear program. Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018.
Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, the US and France have been in talks with Iran in Vienna since April 2021, seeking to restore the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in its original form, without achieving any specific results.
In response to Washington’s withdrawal from the JCPOA, in 2020, the Iranian parliament passed a law outlining a strategic plan to remove sanctions and protect the Iranian people’s interests. As part of this plan, Iran scaled back several obligations under the nuclear deal, particularly by suspending inspections by the IAEA beyond the safeguard agreement related to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and prohibiting the use of stringent monitoring measures.
Earlier, Iran vowed to withdraw from the NPT if the snapback mechanism, allowing for the return of all UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran that were suspended under the JCPOA is activated.
In 2025, five rounds of negotiations between Iran and the US failed to yield significant progress. The diplomatic process was hindered by Israel’s military operation targeting Iran, followed by US strikes on three key sites related to Tehran’s nuclear program.