Senior U.N. nuclear inspectors will continue their talks with Iran for a second day on Thursday, January 17, hoping to reach a long-sought agreement to unblock an investigation into suspected weapons research in the Islamic state, Reuters reported. It was not clear whether the extension of the meeting in Tehran meant that headway had been made towards nailing down a framework deal giving the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to sites, officials and documents for its long-stalled inquiry. The IAEA’s immediate priority is to visit the Parchin military base southeast of Tehran, where it suspects explosives tests relevant for production of nuclear weapons may have taken place. World powers are monitoring the IAEA-Iran talks for any signs as to whether Tehran, facing intensifying sanctions pressure, may be prepared to finally start tackling mounting international concerns about its nuclear activity.