UN nuclear watchdog chief expects deal with Iran ’quite soon’

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency expects a deal with Iran on its controversial nuclear program after emerging from talks in Tehran.

Yukiya Amano says a deal that would increase Iranian cooperation with international investigations into its nuclear activity "will be signed quite soon," the BBC report.

The U.S., Israel, Canada and their allies accuse Iran of developing nuclear weapons, but Iran insists its program is peaceful.

As the Guardian reports, one of the main points of contention between Iran and the IAEA has been over the timeline of nuclear investigations. Iran wants a specifically scheduled international inquiry, while the agency’s lead investigator wants to freedom to carry look into the program without pre-determined time constraints.

Further negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1 (U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France—plus Germany) on uranium enrichment are slated to begin Wednesday in Baghdad.