TEHRAN – Yukiya Amano, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, held talks on Sunday with Iran’s nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi.

Amano who arrived in Tehran late on Saturday plans to hold talks with President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Amano’s visit comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s inflammatory remarks against the July 2015 nuclear deal signed between Iran, the European Union, Germany, and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

The IAEA is in charge of monitoring restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program under the nuclear agreement. So far the agency has released eight reports each time confirming Iran’s adherence to the international nuclear pact.

In a press conference with Salehi on Sunday, Amano again insisted that Tehran is living up to its commitments under the deal.

Amano has already said the accord subjects Iran to the world's toughest nuclear inspection regime. He has also said his inspectors had so far encountered no problems in investigating and determining whether Iran is complying with the deal.

European Union leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to the accord.

In a much-awaited speech on October 13, Trump refused to certify Iran’s compliance to the nuclear pact. The U.S. Congress now has fewer than 60 days to decide whether to reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the deal.

PA/PA