VIENNA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) hopes to finalize a deal with Iran over the Islamic republic's disputed atomic activities in talks in Tehran on Wednesday.
But experts and analysts here expect little progress as the Parchin military site might remain to be a stumbling block.
"We are aiming to finalize the structured approach to resolving the outstanding issues on the possible military dimensions of Iran's nuclear program," said Herman Nackaerts, the IAEA deputy director general.
"We trust that Iran will work with us in the same spirit," Nackaerts said at Vienna airport before leaving for talks with his negotiation team.
Regarding Parchin site, which is suspected by the Western powers as being used to conduct bomb-related experiment, he said, "We hope that we will be allowed to go to Parchin."
IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano last week expressed his concern over the prospect of the structured approach, saying he was "not necessarily optimistic."
HOW FAR IS A BREAKTHROUGH?
Both Iran and the IAEA expressed their willingness to make a breakthrough in the talks in Tehran.
The UN nuclear watchdog said that they would strive to achieve an agreement with Iran on the so-called structured approach that includes opening access to the Parchin site.
Tehran Tuesday also expressed its hope to reach a "comprehensive agreement" with the agency, but again stressed that the breakthrough would only be possible if Iran's "nuclear rights" are recognized by the UN agency.
The Parchin site, considered to be the most urgent issue in the talk, might remain to be an obstacle for both sides to finalize the deal.
"Parchin has no connection with Iran's nuclear activities," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday, adding that the issue could be discussed but in the context of a comprehensive agreement.
The statement hinted that the Parchin site is not directly linked to the UN inspection and should not be addressed as an urgent issue, reducing the possibilities for UN inspectors to visit the site.
This would further frustrate inspectors who believe Iran is winning time to remove the evidence of explosives tests relevant for production of nuclear weapons.
A WINDOW FOR STALLED NEGOTIATIONS WITH P5+1 GROUP?
The talks between the IAEA and Iran are separate but linked to stalled negotiations between Tehran and the so-called P5+1 group, consists of Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States, and Germany.
Tehran has expressed willingness to resume as soon as possible the negotiations, which has been in deadlock for months, signaling it is ready to resolve the crisis through diplomatic efforts with the six world powers.
Tehran and the P5+1 group held three high-level talks in 2012 in vain as it rejected calls of the group for reducing nuclear enrichment activities and asked for sanction relief.
Iran is unlikely to agree that it should ship its stockpile of enriched uranium abroad and fuel its nuclear reactor with foreign support.
Also, Iran takes as a pre-condition of a deal that Western powers should dismantle sanctions on it.
If substantial progress was made on Wednesday, there would be a window for the resumption of the talks with P5+1 group, which would add momentum for both sides to achieve a deal over the Iranian nuclear crisis, observers say.
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