UN, Iran and Egypt face off over nuclear future

CAIRO: Iranian, Egyptian and U.N. leaders met in Cairo on Monday to discuss Iran's nuclear program after a report from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Iran is further increasing its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, said the agency compiled the report because Iranian's uranium enrichment was an ongoing concern to the IAEA's board of governors.

"We hope that by providing the clarification we will be providing an incentive for clarity, an incentive for a peaceful solution and a diplomatic solution," Grossi said in Cairo.


Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, though it was unclear if Araghchi would meet directly with Grossi. The two spoke by phone early Sunday.

Araghchi wrote on the messaging app Telegram that he stressed Iran's "continuous cooperation" when he spoke with Grossi.

The confidential IAEA report, which was seen by The Associated Press on Saturday, raised a stern warning, saying Iran is now "the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material," something the agency said was of "serious concern."

Iranian leadership believes the IAEA report is politically motivated by Grossi's hopes to become the U.N. secretary general.