IAEA chief confirms Iran inspections will proceed; Tehran conditions access on US sanctions
Tensions mount as Tehran insists on a final US deal before granting inspectors entry to damaged nuclear sites, while Washington signals no urgency on the timeline.
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi has affirmed that inspections at Iran’s nuclear facilities will proceed, citing an explicit requirement within a memorandum of understanding signed with the United States. Speaking to reporters during a visit to Japan on Wednesday, Grossi stated that the agreement mandates IAEA supervision of nuclear activities involving nuclear material facilities. He emphasised that while dates and locations are currently under discussion with the Iranian government, the inspections are inevitable regardless of the specific timeline.
Grossi indicated that a decision on the logistics of the inspections would be made soon in collaboration with Tehran. He noted that the exact timing—whether in a week or 10 days—is important but not essential to the agency’s mandate. This stance contrasts with the position held by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who asserted on social media platform X that inspector access to attacked sites is contingent upon the finalisation of a broader agreement with the US and the termination of sanctions.
Iranian officials have maintained that UN inspections are dependent on practical actions by the US to lift sanctions. Gharibabadi added that no meetings occurred between Iranian officials and Grossi during recent negotiations in Switzerland, despite the IAEA chief’s requests. This follows comments from Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, who stated there was no clear schedule for the IAEA to examine facilities damaged during the conflict, reinforcing Tehran’s position that access is a political issue tied to diplomatic outcomes.
US President Donald Trump acknowledged that IAEA inspectors will travel to Iran but emphasised there is no rush regarding the timeline. The current diplomatic framework, established by the recent memorandum of understanding, paves the way for 60 days of talks aimed at resolving key issues, including Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that technical talks are expected to resume in Switzerland on June 29 or 30.
The dispute over access stems from the aftermath of a 12-day war between the US and Israel last year, which resulted in attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. Following the conflict, Iran passed legislation suspending cooperation with the IAEA in July, though it agreed to a new framework in September allowing inspectors to return to sites such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant. However, access to the specific sites damaged during the hostilities remains denied. Separately, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that no negotiations are taking place regarding Tehran’s ballistic missile programme.
