UN nuclear inspector: dialogue with Iran ‘long overdue’January 28, 2012 - 21:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The chief UN nuclear inspector said on Saturday, Jan 28, that a dialogue with Iran over its atomic program was long overdue, as he prepared to depart for a visit to the Islamic republic. "We are trying to resolve all the outstanding issues with Iran, "International Atomic Energy Agency chief inspector Herman Nackaerts told reporters at Vienna airport. "In particular we hope that Iran will engage with us on the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program. We are looking forward to the start of a dialogue, a dialogue that is overdue since very long." Nackaerts was leading a six-person IAEA team that was due to hold talks with Iranian officials from Sunday until Tuesday. They were expected to arrive in Tehran in the early hours of Sunday morning. The delegation also included IAEA number two Rafael Grossi, an Argentine, and the IAEA's senior legal official Peri Lynne Johnson, a US citizen, according to diplomats. Nackaerts, who is Belgian, declined to comment on whom he would meet during the trip, which is aimed at clearing up what the IAEA called this week "outstanding substantive issues" on Tehran's nuclear program, AFP reported. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |