IAEA officials to visit Iran on January 29

TEHRAN, Jan. 18 (MNA) – Tehran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)announced that a delegation of IAEA officials will travel to Iran on January 29. “This delegation, headed by Herman Nackaerts, the IAEA deputy director and the head of the IAEA Department of Safeguards, will travel to Tehran for three days from (the Iranian calendar month of) Bahman 9 to 11 (January 29-31) to hold talks (with Iranian officials) on the issues of concern to the agency,” Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said on Tuesday. Iran announced on August 23, 2011 that Nackaerts had recently taken tours of inspection to the Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities, the Arak heavy water reactor, the Isfahan uranium conversion facility, and the Bushehr nuclear power plant. IAEA officials’ visit will come ahead of a possible new round of talks between Iran and the 5+1 group (the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany). Iran and the six major powers have recently signaled readiness to resume nuclear talks.