The UN&nbsp;nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi will make his first trip to Tehran in that role on Monday to pressure Iran to grant inspectors access to two suspected former atomic sites after a months-long standoff, he said on Saturday.

It will be the first visit to Iran by Rafael Mariano Grossi since he took the helm of the International Atomic Energy Agency in December and comes as tensions between European nations and the US over relations with Iran have intensified in recent days.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution in June raising pressure on Iran to let inspectors into the sites mentioned in two quarterly IAEA reports because they could still host undeclared nuclear material or traces of it.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/majority-of-un-security-council-members-oppose-us-push-for-iran-sanctions-322327" hreflang="en">Majority of UN Security Council members oppose US push for Iran sanctions</a>

"My objective is that my meetings in Tehran will lead to concrete progress in addressing the outstanding questions that the Agency has related to safeguards in Iran and, in particular, to resolve the issue of access," Grossi, who took over as IAEA director general in December, said in a statement.

The statement said Grossi would meet "high-level Iranian authorities", without specifying whom. Diplomats in Vienna have said they hope the standoff over access will be resolved before the next Board of Governors meeting in September.

"We hope this visit will lead to reinforced mutual cooperation," Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kazem Gharibabadi, said, according to a statement posted by his mission on Twitter.

The visit comes amid tensions between the US and its European allies over Washington's bid to maintain an arms embargo on Iran and reimpose UN sanctions dating back to 2006.

The United States has accused Iran of breaching a 2015 deal with world powers that aimed to stop Tehran developing nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief. But President Donald Trump described it as the "worst deal ever" and quit in 2018.

The UN nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi will make his first trip to Tehran in that role on Monday to pressure Iran to grant inspectors access to two suspected former atomic sites after a months-long standoff, he said on Saturday.

The UN nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi will make his first trip to Tehran in that role on Monday to pressure Iran to grant inspectors access to two suspected former atomic sites after a months-long standoff, he said on Saturday. It will be the first visit to Iran by Rafael Mariano Grossi since he took the helm of the International Atomic Energy Agency in December and comes as tensions between European nations and the US over relations with Iran have intensified in recent days. The International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution in June raising pressure on Iran to let inspectors into the sites mentioned in two quarterly IAEA reports because they could still host undeclared nuclear material or traces of it. Also read: Majority of UN Security Council members oppose US push for Iran sanctions "My objective is that my meetings in Tehran will lead to concrete progress in addressing the outstanding questions that the Agency has related to safeguards in Iran and, in particular, to resolve the issue of access," Grossi, who took over as IAEA director general in December, said in a statement. The statement said Grossi would meet "high-level Iranian authorities", without specifying whom. Diplomats in Vienna have said they hope the standoff over access will be resolved before the next Board of Governors meeting in September. "We hope this visit will lead to reinforced mutual cooperation," Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kazem Gharibabadi, said, according to a statement posted by his mission on Twitter. The visit comes amid tensions between the US and its European allies over Washington's bid to maintain an arms embargo on Iran and reimpose UN sanctions dating back to 2006. The United States has accused Iran of breaching a 2015 deal with world powers that aimed to stop Tehran developing nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief. But President Donald Trump described it as the "worst deal ever" and quit in 2018.

IAEA chief Grossito to make first visit to Iran on August 24

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