IAEA chief says Iran deal ‘just a piece of paper’ without agency oversight

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Moscow on Thursday for consultations with top Russian officials, Iran’s ambassador to Russia said on Wednesday.

The visit is part of continued high-level contacts between the two countries. "Talks will focus on advancing bilateral relations, regional cooperation, and international engagement", according to Ambassador Kazem Jalali.

Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Araghchi confirmed he would be delivering a message from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his Moscow trip.

Divisions have emerged inside the Trump administration over how far to push Iran in nuclear negotiations, with top officials split between calls for full dismantlement and a more limited, verifiable deal, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

While National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have maintained that Iran must be stripped of all enrichment capabilities, chief negotiator Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance have privately argued that such a demand would likely derail the talks, the report said, citing officials familiar with internal discussions.

“Mr. Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance have argued internally that it would doom the negotiations to insist on full dismantlement,” the report said. Instead, they support strict verification measures, potentially run by the United States.

Witkoff initially suggested a softer approach during a Fox News interview Monday night, describing the need for “verification on enrichment... and ultimately verification on weaponization.” But following a White House meeting Tuesday, he released a new statement declaring, “Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.”

Talks are set to resume Saturday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that negotiations with the United States are continuing in a routine manner and are not disrupting the country’s internal affairs, Iranian media reported.

“The talks are proceeding normally, and government affairs are moving forward without being held up even for a second,” Pezeshkian told a cabinet meeting. “Naturally, we would welcome a final agreement if it is reached.”

The sole aim of nuclear negotiations with the United States should be the removal of banking and oil sanctions, Iranian lawmaker Nadergholi Ebrahimi said on Wednesday.

Ebrahimi, who represents the city of Arak, said the talks had received the approval of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, but must remain within the framework of "dignity, wisdom, and expediency."

“The sole objective of the negotiators must be lifting oil and banking sanctions, and nothing else,” he said.

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Wednesday that reopening the US embassy in Tehran “has no relevance at this time,” speaking to reporters at a press briefing.

She added, however, that Iran remains open to American investment. “We welcome US investors under fair conditions,” she said.