There is a chance of resolving the issue of Iran’s nuclear program through diplomacy, but it’s a long way off. “limited”said the head of Iranian diplomacy on Saturday.

“There is still a chance for diplomacy, even if this chance is not very big, there is a limited chance.”said Abbas Araghchi on state television, following a visit to Iran by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi. Rafael Grossi visited two major nuclear sites in Iran on Friday, at a time when Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has said he wants to lift the ban on the use of nuclear energy. “doubts and ambiguities” about Tehran’s program.

The trip by the head of the UN nuclear agency is seen as one of the last chances for diplomacy before Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. The Iranian nuclear issue “over the coming year will be delicate and complicated, but we are ready to face all scenarios”added the Iranian Foreign Minister.

Maximum pressure” policy

During his first term (2017-2021), Donald Trump was the architect of a policy known as “maximum pressure”. “maximum pressure” against Iran and reinstated heavy sanctions, which the Biden administration has maintained. In 2018, Trump had withdrawn the United States from the nuclear deal struck between Iran and the major powers three years earlier.

The text provided for relief from international sanctions, in exchange for guarantees that Iran would not seek to acquire atomic weapons. Teheran denies that it has any such military ambitions, and defends its right to nuclear energy for civilian purposes. In retaliation for the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement, Iran has considerably increased its reserves of material enriched to 60%, close to the 90% needed to develop an atomic weapon, according to the IAEA.

The nuclear agreement capped this level at 3.67%. The IAEA chief’s visit comes ahead of a possible critical resolution by London, Berlin and Paris at the UN agency’s Board of Governors this month. “If a resolution is passed against us, Iran will take reciprocal measures and we will take new measures that will certainly not please them for our nuclear program.”warned Abbas Araghchi on Saturday.