Iran atomic chief says country reached 'full maturity' in nuclear fuel cycle

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday that the agency is in constant contact with Iran and the United States about Tehran’s nuclear program, with the International Atomic Energy Agency expected to act as guarantor of any future agreement.

“They are negotiating — it’s not us — but the IAEA will have to be the guarantor of whichever agreement they come to,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the AP.

Despite continued disputes over uranium enrichment, Grossi said he is encouraged by the seriousness of both sides, adding: “I think they both want an agreement, which doesn’t mean that it’s easy to get, but, simple and obvious as this may sound, having two sides that want an agreement is an enormous advantage.

“In my long diplomatic career, I have participated in negotiations where it was not necessarily the case that the sides wanted an agreement,” he added.

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Sanctions pose a growing threat to global economic stability and peace, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasilia on Thursday.

“Using national currencies, digital assets, and launching joint banking platforms forms an effective front against coercive pressure and sanctions,” he said.

Ghalibaf described sanctions as a “new challenge to the global economy” that directly impact livelihoods and economic justice.

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The Iranian people remain determined to preserve their nuclear program, despite pressure from the United States, a member of Iran’s Expediency Council said Thursday.

“Trump must understand that even with the will of arrogant powers, the Iranian nation seeks to maintain its nuclear energy,” Gholamreza Mesbahi Moghaddam said.

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The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Wednesday endorsed Vice President J.D. Vance’s warning on Iran’s nuclear case, calling for the dismantling of the Islamic Republic’s atomic program.

“If the Iran domino falls, you're going to see nuclear proliferation all over the Middle East. That's very bad for us. It's very bad for our friends,” Vance said in remarks cited by AIPAC.

“Put a deadline on talks. Increase the pressure. Demand Iran dismantle,” the group posted on X, urging a harder line on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

President Donald Trump signed an order banning travel to the US from 12 countries, including Iran.

The White House said Wednesday that the move aims to tighten security. Nations affected include Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen.

The White House said Iran is “a state sponsor of terrorism” that “fails to cooperate in identifying security risks” and “has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.”

Trump said the most restricted countries harbor a “large-scale presence of terrorists,” lack proper identity verification, and have poor visa compliance.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” he said.

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