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IAEA Press Conference: International Atomic Energy Agency
US-Iran deal: technical work can begin, says atomic energy agency chief
The head of the UN’s atomic energy agency on Thursday welcomed the signing of an initial Iran-US memorandum aimed at ending the war, before proposing “to sit down” with both parties to assist with concrete measures including verification of Iran’s nuclear programme, a critical sticking point.
“We believe the fact that the indispensable role of the IAEA is recognized is a sound point of departure,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in reference to the reported text of the memorandum. “Now it's for us to sit down with our American colleagues, our Iranian colleagues and start formulating the concrete steps that will have to be taken. So, I think it's good that the memorandum is there. Now the technical work starts.”
According to media reports, the memorandum of understanding provides for a maximum of 60 days of negotiations to achieve a “final deal” on issues including uranium enrichment by Iran which must also reaffirm that it does not intend to develop a nuclear weapon.
Other requirements listed in the memorandum’s text include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping and an easing of US and UN Security Council sanctions on the Middle East nation.
The “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon” also features prominently in the first of 14 points of the memorandum.
Speaking at the UN in Geneva, Mr. Grossi refused to speculate about spoilers “because we are about to start and we have to initiate any negotiation on the assumption that we are all in with faith, that we want to be successful.”
Responding to a question about a possible agreed reduction in the level of uranium enrichment by Iran, the IAEA chief noted that “many, many possibilities” could be explored.
“There are many different alternatives…There are different ranges of enrichment in the current Iranian inventory and we will see what is agreed.”
The agency’s access to all of Iran’s nuclear facilities is “not at a level and in all the locations it should be”, he stressed, but contact with the authorities is ongoing and the agency has “a pretty good idea” of the “specific things, places, that we need to access”.
Mr Grossi added: “It’s now, I’d say, that the technical work can start for real.”
The IAEA was established in 1957 to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It is an autonomous part of the United Nations system – meaning that it is not under the direct control of the UN Secretariat, but instead reports to the UN General Assembly and Security Council.
The agency has 180 member countries and is mandated to monitor nuclear facilities objectively, report on nuclear activities, oversee safety, promote peace through diplomacy and the use of nuclear technologies for good.
ends
Iran-US accord - IAEA Rafael Grossi
TRT: 2 min 53s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 18 JUNE 2026 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Speaker:
- IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi
SHOTLIST
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- Exterior wide, UN Geneva flag alley.
- Wide, podium speakers, UN Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: “We believe the fact that the indispensable role of the IAEA is recognized is a sound point of departure. And now it's for us to sit down with our American colleagues, our Iranian colleagues and start formulating the concrete steps that will have to be taken. So, I think it's good that the memorandum is there. Now the technical work starts.”
- Wide, Press room, TV screens, technical booths, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (French) – IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: « Vous avez vu que les textes mentionnent, oui, la possibilité d'un travail technique d’abaissement de niveau d'enrichissement. Mais à partir de cela, il y a plusieurs, plusieurs possibilités qui s'ouvrent. »
- Wide, podium speakers, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (French) – IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: « Il y a certaines inspections qui se passent encore, pas au niveau et dans les endroits où l'on devrait être. Mais il y a des contacts ; moi-même, je suis en contact avec les autorités iraniennes. Mais c'est maintenant qu'on peut commencer, je dirais pour de vrai, ce travail technique. »
- Wide, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: “Having to speculate about what could cause a problem or not is not wise at this point because we are about to start and we have to initiate any negotiation on the assumption that we are all in good faith, that we want to be successful. And this is what we need to stress at this point.”
- Wide, podium speakers, journalists.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: “So at this point, I wouldn't be able to tell you here, now, what are the specific things, places, that we need to access. We have a pretty good idea, of course, but it is incorrect being correct on my part to, you know, step ahead of the process.”
- Wide, podium speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi: “There are many different alternatives, as I said. There are different ranges of enrichment in the current Iranian inventory and we will see what is agreed.”
- Medium, journalist.
- Medium, journalists.
- Medium, journalist.
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