IAEA seeks ‘common ground’ with Iran

TEHRAN: The UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday it was seeking "common ground" with Iran days after reporting that the Islamic republic had sharply increased its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi made the remarks following talks with officials in Tehran ahead of negotiations next week aimed at salvaging the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

His visit comes after the IAEA said Iran had boosted its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to many times in excess of the limit laid down in the landmark accord. "Our work has been intense since the morning," Grossi said at a joint news conference in Tehran with Mohammed Eslami, the chief of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran.

"We are continuing at this point the negotiations with a view to find a common ground," he said. "There are other issues that we are working on and... it is very important to put this into the perspective of the peaceful nuclear programme of Iran.

"We are multiplying our efforts with a view to conclude our exchanges today." In a brief statement, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran said "establishing a clear framework for cooperation between the IAEA and the agency is one of the main topics of discussion".

The talks come ahead of the scheduled resumption on Monday of negotiations between Tehran and world powers aimed at saving the 2015 deal that gave Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.