"Well, we certainly welcome any cooperation between the Iranian Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency. As you know, we've repeatedly encouraged them to work closely with the IAEA. And certainly, we want them to follow through on the commitments that have been made to the IAEA." Haq said referring to the recent visit of IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi to Iran.
Answering a question on whether the mutual statement between Iran and the IAEA has been a positive move, Haq stated, "We'll have to see the sort of continued progress made by the International Atomic Energy Agency and their work with Iran. But we want Iran to continue to cooperate. That's a crucial part of making sure that concerns about Iran's nuclear program are fully addressed."
In response to a question regarding the Israeli regime or the United States' attack on Iran's nuclear capabilities, the UN deputy spokesperson stressed that "All countries need to do what they can to de-escalate the situation around Iran and its nuclear program and we continue to encourage them to avoid anything that would contribute to any escalation of tensions."
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi visited the Islamic Republic of Iran on 3 and 4 March 2023. In the context of his visit, he met the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raeisi, as well as with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and the Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and President of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Mohammad Eslami.
These high-level meetings addressed the importance of taking steps in order to facilitate enhanced cooperation, to expedite as appropriate the resolution of outstanding safeguards issues.
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