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European countries are urging the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors to pass a new resolution against Iran, while Tehran has informed Rafael Grossi that it is ready to negotiate on the nuclear file away from pressure.

European countries are seeking to pass a new resolution against Iran next week by the IAEA Board of Governors to pressure Tehran due to its lack of cooperation, according to diplomats. This initiative comes as the world awaits the return of elected U.S. President Donald Trump, known for his hostile rhetoric and policies toward Tehran, amid ongoing talks between IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and Iranian authorities in Tehran.

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Such resolutions threaten to increase diplomatic tensions with Iran. In response to previous resolutions and other criticisms from the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors, Iran intensified its nuclear activities and barred senior IAEA inspectors from entering the country, heightening Western concerns over its objectives.

This resolution would task the IAEA with producing a “comprehensive report” on Iran’s nuclear activities, in addition to its regular quarterly reports. These reports would include a detailed description and greater focus on issues such as Iran’s ongoing failure to explain traces of uranium found at undisclosed sites.

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The goal is to force Iran back to the negotiating table to agree on new restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, with both aspects less extensive than those in the 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, from which Trump withdrew the United States in 2018, causing its collapse.

In this deal, Iran agreed to strict restrictions on its nuclear activities and more stringent international inspections, as Western powers sought to reduce the risks of conflict between Iran and its regional rivals by limiting its nuclear capabilities.

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A European diplomat, among five diplomats who said France, Britain, and Germany are pushing for a resolution, stated: “Our concerns regarding Iranian nuclear activity are well-known. It seems natural that we would call for a comprehensive IAEA report, which provides a basis for addressing Iranian behavior.”

Western efforts to negotiate with Iran, aimed at reaching a new agreement before the 2015 deal’s “sunset clause” date next October, largely relied on the assumption of Kamala Harris’s victory in the presidential elections, as Trump refused to negotiate with Iran.

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Diplomats said the United States is not driving this resolution, but it is expected to support it, as it did with the previous resolution against Iran in June. The European powers, known as the “E3,” are discussing the draft with the outgoing U.S. administration.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has not shown enthusiasm for a comprehensive report, as he is engaged in delicate diplomacy aimed at obtaining more direct explanations for uranium traces from Iran and encouraging the agency’s greater oversight of its nuclear activities.

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In a press conference in September, Grossi said when asked if he was considering providing a comprehensive report: “We are already addressing this issue.” He added, “My approach is to try to resolve issues now without thinking of punitive measures for the future. My idea is to succeed in cooperation now.”

On Thursday, Grossi met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtchi and is expected to meet with the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, and Iranian President Masoud Bazeshkyan, according to IRNA.

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After the meeting, Araghtchi wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he informed the IAEA director that Iran can resolve disputes with the UN agency through cooperation and negotiations, but not under pressure.

He emphasized that the meetings were “important and direct,” while Mohammad Eslami stated they were “constructive.” He added: “As a committed member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, we continue our full cooperation with the IAEA. Disputes can be resolved through cooperation and dialogue.”

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For his part, Grossi affirmed that achieving “results” through dialogue with Iran is necessary to reduce tensions and avoid war. In a press conference with the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, he stated: “It is crucial to achieve tangible results demonstrating that this joint work improves the situation and steers us away from conflict, and ultimately, from war.”

Eslami stated that Iran would take “immediate measures” against any resolution issued by the IAEA Board of Governors that opposes its nuclear program, adding that “any interference resolution on the nuclear affairs of the Islamic Republic will certainly face immediate countermeasures.”

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Ali Vaez, Iran Affairs Director at the International Crisis Group, said Grossi “will do whatever he can to avoid an escalation.”

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated on Wednesday that “the United States, not Iran, withdrew from the deal,” adding that Donald Trump‘s “maximum pressure” policy “was ineffective.”

Following his first visit in May, the IAEA director returns to Iran amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, two days after Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz warned that Tehran was “more vulnerable than ever to strikes on its nuclear facilities.”

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Highlighting the tensions between Grossi’s immediate goal of concessions and that of Western powers seeking to pressure Iran into accepting nuclear talks next year, a senior Iranian official stated: “A vote for a resolution could prompt a response from Tehran, including restrictions on diplomatic and technical cooperation with the IAEA.”

The question remains whether the future Trump administration will be open to negotiations on what some diplomats call a “less for less” deal, compared to the 2015 one.

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Concessions and commitments Grossi obtained from Iran will be closely monitored for signs of Iran’s openness to talks. State media reported on Tuesday comments by Bazeshkyan, indicating that Iran cannot ignore its arch-enemy, the United States, and must “manage its enemies with patience.”

While no information has been reported on the intentions of the Trump administration regarding talks with Tehran after he takes office in January, the elected president stated during his campaign: “I do not wish to harm Iran, but it cannot possess nuclear weapons.”

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