Iran Says IAEA May Get One-Month Extension as Nuclear Talks Progress

The International Atomic Energy Agency could get a one-month extension of its monitoring and verification deal in Iran as talks to end US sanctions are making progress, state news agency IRNA reported May 23, citing a source at Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretariat. IAEA DG Rafael Grossi has scheduled a press conference for May 23 from Vienna to discuss progress on its monitoring and verification of Iran's nuclear activities. ``It is likely the agreement will be extended conditionally for one month," the source said, according to IRNA. "If this decision is final, it is expected that the other side facilitate the process of reaching an agreement [on JCPOA] by accepting Iran's legal demands."

President Hassan Rohani said nuclear talks will continue in Vienna "until the final agreement," according to IRNA. "Considering the recent negotiations in Vienna, they have explicitly announced their readiness to remove the sanctions according to the JCPOA," Rohani said.

US, Iranian and European negotiators last week wrapped up a fourth round of indirect talks in Vienna over the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The bilateral trade and cooperation agreement signed between Iran and China in March will secure Iran's crude sales to the Asian country despite US sanctions, Fereydoun Abbasi, head of Iran's parliament energy committee, told the parliamentary news service icana.ir.

"We should know to what extent each of the countries need the other side to define the strategic cooperation," he said. "Of course this cooperation brings along a reliable customer for Iran's oil and some oil products. And this alone is a move against the sanctions. And the US will not be able to impose sanctions on Iran down the line."

Abbasi spoke against holding JCPOA talks "at the time of neutralization and collapse of the sanctions, while the sanctions-imposing countries are in a weak position. "The big mistake of negotiation should not be repeated. Rather, more concessions should be taken from the remaining countries in the JCPOA." A member of the parliament's presiding board, Naser Mousavi Largani, said among received bills there is one regarding an oil-for-railroad projects barter deal. China and India could enter such an exchange deal with Iran. Bills received by the board are put on the agenda for debate, oil ministry news service Shana reported May 23. - Platts