REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, VIENNA - The UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday a planned meeting with Iran next week to discuss steps meant to ease concerns over its nuclear program has been pushed back to February 8 at Tehran's request.

The International Atomic Energy Agency did not say why Tehran asked for a delay. But the original date, January 21, is just a day after Iran and big powers are to start implementing an interim deal on curbing Iranian nuclear activity, suggesting a busy agenda in coming days may have led to the postponement.

The IAEA has been tasked with checking that Iran carries out its end of the six-month preliminary accord, so the UN agency is also facing an extra workload. The IAEA-Iran negotiations that have now been postponed are separate from - albeit still closely aligned with - broader, high-level diplomacy between Tehran and six world powers over Iran's nuclear program.

In November, Iran and the IAEA struck a cooperation pact, including six initial steps to be taken by Tehran over the following three months, entailing access to two nuclear-related facilities and the provision of information.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika