Tehran, Jan 15

 Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will hold their next round of talks in Tehran Feb 8, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi announced here Tuesday.

"Based on the agreements, the negotiations will be held in Tehran on Feb 8," Araqchi told semi-official Fars news agency, Xinhua reported.

The meeting, aimed at boosting the transparency of Iran over its nuclear programme, was once scheduled to be held Jan 21.

Under an agreement between Iran and the IAEA reached Nov 11, Iran would allow the UN nuclear watchdog's inspectors to visit central Arak heavy water plant and Gachin yellow cake mine in the south. A team of inspectors of the IAEA visited Arak heavy water reactor Dec 8.

In relevant remarks, Iran's envoy to the IAEA Reza Najafi said the delay of the meeting was agreed upon, since Iran and six world powers, or the P5+1 group, plan to implement the Joint Plan of Action on Iran's nuclear programme Jan 20, according to official IRNA news agency.

A letter sent to the IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on behalf of the P5+1 group, concerning the Joint Plan of Action agreed with Iran Nov 24 in Geneva, highlighted the important role of the IAEA in the verification of the nuclear-related measures agreed in Geneva.

Under the Geneva deal, the US and its allies shall grant Iran limited relief of sanctions on its oil, gold, petrochemicals, auto industries and civil aviation.

In exchange, Iran shall halt uranium enrichment above 5 percent and neutralise its stockpile of 20-percent uranium by means of oxidizing and dilution. 

By:IANS