The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has called on Iran to quickly allow renewed monitoring of its nuclear programme by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“There’s still time, but not much,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in Vienna on Monday.

Tehran suspended cooperation with IAEA inspectors after its key nuclear facilities were attacked by Israeli and U.S. aircraft in June.

For weeks, the agency has been negotiating with Iranian officials on resuming inspections, with particular focus on more than 400 kilogrammes of uranium that the IAEA says has been enriched to nearly weapons-grade level.

So far, Iran has not informed the agency where this material is being stored or in what condition it remains following the strikes.

Mr Grossi said Tehran had missed reporting deadlines, while Western diplomats in Vienna suggested Iran feared Israel could use such information to justify further attacks.

He reported that talks with Iran had made progress and expressed hope that an agreement could be reached within days.

Mr Grossi said such a deal could help pave the way for broader diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear standoff.

Germany, France, and Britain have threatened since late August to reimpose UN sanctions unless Iran returns to negotiations within weeks.

More recently, however, Tehran has sent more positive signals.

Iran is “ready to forge a realistic and lasting bargain that entails ironclad oversight and curbs on enrichment in exchange for the termination of sanctions,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in an open letter to the three European governments.

(dpa/NAN)