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Iran's nuclear program

US-Iran agreement on nuclear program requires verification mechanism — IAEA

The duration of a moratorium on Iran’s nuclear program is a question of political trust, not a technical issue, Rafael Grossi said

SEOUL, April 15. /TASS/. Any agreement between the US and Iran on Tehran’s nuclear program would be just "a piece of paper" unless verification mechanisms are put in place, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said during a visit to Seoul.

"Any agreement without verification is just a piece of paper. If the parties reach an agreement, I think the IAEA will receive a request for cooperation regarding inspections," the Yonhap news agency quoted him as saying. "Iran has a very ambitious and large-scale nuclear program, which requires the presence of IAEA inspectors. Otherwise, we won’t have an agreement but an illusion of an agreement," Grossi added.

"I am not taking part in the talks and I don’t know what they are talking about. The duration of a moratorium [on Iran’s nuclear program] is a question of political trust, not a technical issue," the IAEA chief said.

Earlier, US media outlets reported that at the recent meeting in Pakistan, the US called on Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities for 20 years. According to The New York Times, Iran suggested a five-year pause.

US Permanent Representative to the UN Mike Waltz stated on April 14 that Washington insisted Iran completely abandon its nuclear program.

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Iran's nuclear program issue

Middle East conflict

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