IAEA inspectors likely to visit Iran on Jan. 28: report

TEHRAN, Jan. 15 (MNA) – Western diplomats said on Thursday that Iran agreed to host a high-level team of UN nuclear inspectors later this month, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The diplomats said Iran had tentatively agreed to receive a delegation from the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency headed by the IAEA deputy director general and head of the Department of Safeguards, Herman Nackaerts. The diplomats, who are based in Vienna, said the visit was tentatively set for January 28. 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 inspectors’ visit will probably 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. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, in his visit to Tehran on January 4 and 5, carried a message from EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to Iranian officials for a resumption of nuclear talks. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said at a joint press conference with Davutoglu on January 5 that the Islamic Republic is ready to resume talks with the 5+1 group at a time and place agreed by both sides. Later, the Turkish foreign minister announced that Turkey will host new rounds of talks between Iran and the 5+1 group in the near future.