TEHRAN - The imminent visit of the chief of the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA) to Iran is not related to the snapback of sanctions against Tehran recently raised by the United States at the UN Security Council, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said here on Monday.

The forthcoming visit by IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi to Iran on Monday is in line with the long-standing cooperation between the UN nuclear watchdog and the Islamic republic of Iran

The forthcoming visit by IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi to Iran on Monday is in line with the long-standing cooperation between the UN nuclear watchdog and the Islamic republic of Iran, Zarif was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

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The media speculation that links Grossi's visit to the recent US attempts pertaining to the return of anti-Iran sanctions is "a wrong expression," he said.

Working with IAEA serves "transparency" of Iranian nuclear program, he added.

Grossi is scheduled to arrive in the capital Tehran on Monday to meet with high-level Iranian authorities.

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During his visit, Grossi will address the cooperation of Iran with the IAEA, and "in particular Iran's provision of access to the agency's inspectors to requested locations," an IAEA statement said on Saturday.  

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday that Washington started the process to restore all pre-2015 UN sanctions against Iran, alleging that Iran has been "inconsistent" with its obligations under the accord. 

US President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the Iranian 2015 landmark deal in 2018 and reimposed major sanctions on the country's energy and financial sectors. In reaction, Iran dropped major parts of its nuclear obligations.  

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Iran and most of the parties signed the Iranian nuclear deal have argued that since the United States is no longer in the deal, it cannot resort to the trigger of snapback mechanism. 

Meanwhile, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) has agreed to provide "conditional access" to the locations requested by the IAEA, Tasnim news agency reported Monday.

Iran was not initially opposed to the IAEA's demand for inspection of two locations in Iran, respectively near Shahreza city in the central province of Isfahan and near the capital Tehran, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the AEOI, said Sunday.

However, the IAEA's questions must be based on serious evidence and documents instead of "mere allegations," he noted.

The AEOI has also confirmed that the recent blast at the country's central Natanz nuclear facility was an act of "sabotage," Tasnim reported Monday.

Security investigations proved that the July incident in Natanz was an act of sabotage, Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesperson for the AEOI said on Sunday, according to the report.

"What is definite is that an explosion occurred at Natanz (nuclear site), but the security officials will announce at an appropriate time how and with what materials the blast took place and what the details are," Kamalvandi was quoted as saying.

Natanz is a Fuel Enrichment Plant covering 100,000 square meters. It is located in Natanz, capital city of Natanz County in Iran's central Isfahan Province.