GENEVA — The head of the U.N. atomic energy agency welcomed the signing of an initial Iran-U.S. memorandum intended to conclude the war. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, proposed immediate technical discussions with U.S. and Iranian officials to verify Iran's nuclear program.

The reported memorandum includes a provision for up to 60 days of negotiations to finalize an agreement on uranium enrichment. It also requires Iran to reaffirm its intention not to develop a nuclear weapon, and calls for the easing of U.S. and U.N. Security Council sanctions on Iran. Additionally, the memorandum stipulates the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping and mandates the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

"We believe the fact that the indispensable role of the IAEA is recognized is a sound point of departure," Grossi said. "Now it's for us to sit down with our American colleagues, our Iranian colleagues and start formulating the concrete steps that will have to be taken. Now the technical work starts," he said.

During remarks at the U.N. in Geneva, Grossi declined to comment on potential disruptions to negotiations. The IAEA does not currently have access to all levels and locations of Iran's nuclear facilities, though contact with Iranian authorities is ongoing. "There are many different alternatives. There are different ranges of enrichment in the current Iranian inventory and we will see what is agreed," he said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, established in 1957, operates as an autonomous part of the United Nations system. Based in Vienna, it has 180 member countries and reports to the U.N. General Assembly and U.N. Security Council, with a mandate to promote peaceful uses of nuclear energy.