TEHRAN - Spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stressed that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s access to cameras’ memory is possible only when an agreement is reached on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

The comments by Saeed Khatibzadeh came one day after IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi held talks with Mohammed Eslami, the new chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).

At the end of their meeting, Iran and the IAEA issued a joint statement that part of which stated, “IAEA's inspectors are permitted to service the identified equipment and replace their storage media which will be kept under the joint IAEA and AEOI seals in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The way and the timing are agreed by the two sides.”

Khatibzadeh said, "Iran-Agency relations are normal and technical, and as long as the non-political and non-discriminatory aspects of the Agency are maintained vis-a-vis Iran, Iran will pursue its relations seriously."

Grossi's visit to Iran before the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors was within the framework of some issues between the two countries, which was done with the superiority of the technical approach of the IAEA and good consultations were held, Khatibzadeh stated. 

“These are not new issues and were in the context of cooperation between the two sides, and these talks took place because of the meeting of the Board of Governors”.

The IAEA board started its regular meeting on Monday. 

Khatibzadeh assessed Grossi's visit to Tehran as successful and said, "Iran-Agency cooperation was to continue within the framework of technical cooperation without the intervention of others."

The spokesman confirmed that Iran’s nuclear chief Eslami would travel to Vienna in the near future to attend the IAEA General Assembly. 

"It was also agreed that Grossi will make his visits to Tehran more regular," he added.

Grossi is scheduled to travel to Tehran after the board meeting to discuss other issues, the spokesman stated.

Khatibzadeh stated that there was an understanding between the two sides and the two sides are moving forward in a good faith.

“If some people with political motives want to overshadow the cooperation that was reached between Iran and the Agency on the basis of a technical understanding, Iran will respond accordingly. Some may have been looking for a resolution (against Iran by the IAEA board), but this is not what has been done in the technical framework between Iran and the Agency.”

 “IAEA should operate without access to footages and memory cards”

The spokesman said the joint statement between Iran and the IAEA was clear enough and underscored that the IAEA would take action without access set by the Additional Protocol and without access to footage and memory cards.

“Memory cards will need to be replaced without giving access to the Agency due to memory overload. There are a number of camera repairs that need to be done on schedule.”

According to the official, Iran is closely following the meeting of the IAEA board.

On a question whether Eslami is to be a member of the negotiating team and the talks to possibly reviving the JCPOA, he said, “I do not have a definite date for the Eslami visit to Vienna but the Atomic Energy Organization was part of the negotiating team”.

"Technical and nuclear working groups in the negotiations are led directly by the Atomic Energy Organization," he said.

In response to a question on whether the agreement with the IAEA was based on a parliamentary resolution, he noted: “The parliamentary resolution is quite clear and binding. The administration has suspended all access beyond the Additional Protocol and voluntary implementation of the Additional Protocol since the enactment of the Parliament”.

Regarding Iran's return to the Vienna talks within the framework agreement with the IAEA, he said: “Iran has not left the negotiating table and the JCPOA. It was the United States that violated the deal, left the negotiating table at the time, and violated United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. Iran-Agency relations are technical and far from political considerations.”

SCO summit 

Asked if Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization would be confirmed during President Raisi’s visit to Dushanbe, he said: "This is the president's first foreign trip. This trip has two aspects; one aspect is attending the Shanghai Summit and the other is the mutual capacity of the trip.”

In both respects, he stressed, extensive programs are being pursued by the Office of the President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Necessary follow-ups have also been carried out in Dushanbe and the Iranian embassy in Tajikistan.”

The spokesman added: "Iran's request will be considered at the Shanghai summit, and we hope this review will lead to the result we expect”.

 “Iran has always tried to talk to all Afghan groups”

The Foreign Ministry spokesman also reiterated Iran’s position for an inclusive government in Afghanistan. He added that the Islamic Republic is in contact with groups in Afghanistan.

"Iran is one of the few players in Afghanistan that has relations with all parties; with some more inclusive conversations and with some more limited ones, we always tried to talk to these groups. As you know, the first round of comprehensive inter-Afghan dialogue was held in Tehran, and we tried to involve all groups, not just the government and the Taliban.”

The Foreign Ministry again lamented bloody violence in Afghanistan, saying “fratricide” will lead to nowhere.  

"We have repeatedly stressed that the path leading to fratricide in Afghanistan is not the right one," said the spokesman. 

He warned that no government can survive without including all groups.

“We have said that an inclusive government can bring peace and prosperity. No minority government can bring maximum peace, stability and tranquility in the long run.”

Emphasizing that there should be no foreign interference in the country, Khatibzadeh said: "The Afghan people do not accept the presence of foreign forces on their territory and various regional and trans-regional parties should facilitate inter-Afghan dialogue."

"After the outbreak of the current crisis, we tried to move forward in a serious and focused manner at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," he said. “We tried not to deprive the Afghan people of our necessary access and consular relations”.

“We decide based on Taliban's actions”

About the Taliban's invitation to Iran to attend the he inauguration of their government and the possibility of recognizing them, he said, "It is too early to talk about this. We have to see the formation of the future government of Afghanistan and then decide on other issues. Based on the Taliban's actions, we decide on their request and invitation”.

 Iran expresses dismay over Turkey’s participation in drills in Caspian Sea 

Khatibzadeh also expressed dismay over a joint maneuver in the Caspian Sea by Turkey and the Republic of Azerbaijan. 

"The Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea has made this very clear. The agreements of the five littoral states are based on the illegality of the military presence of countries other than these five countries. This issue is under investigation at the Foreign Ministry,” he stated.

 Conflicting voices from capitals not constructive

The spokesman said that the different and conflicting voices heard from the capitals were not constructive.

"The very nature of these statements shows how far those who copy and paste these statements are from the developments in the region and understand the obviousness of developments in the region. As a powerful country in the region, Iran does not compromise on its national security and territorial integrity.”