IAEA Chief Confirms Inspector Visits to Iran Sites as Part of War Settlement
Rafael Grossi, the director‑general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told reporters in Japan that inspectors will indeed visit Iranian sites under the country’s new peace agreement with the United States. "The inspections will take place," he said, promising that dates, procedures and locations will be arranged shortly.
The agreement signed last week explicitly stated that the dilution of Iran’s highly enriched uranium would be carried out under IAEA supervision, a detail Grossi highlighted in his remarks.
Conversely, Iran’s deputy foreign minister reported that access to damaged nuclear facilities and stored material would only be considered within a final US‑Iran deal. He added that practical steps to lift sanctions must precede any inspection commitments.
These developments come as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Gulf nations to discuss the agreement, having met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and planning to travel to Kuwait and Bahrain.
The deal also clarified that Iran would allow shipping to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while the U.S. agreed to lift its naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The increased security regime has already influenced global markets: on Wednesday Brent crude fell below $75 per barrel for the first time since the U.S‑Israeli conflict with Iran began.
In the meantime, the United Nations noted that some ships have already moved through the strait under a scheme to evacuate sailors stranded by the conflict.
Background: Earlier this month U.S. Vice‑President J.D. Vance said Iran had "agreed to invite IAEA inspectors" following talks in Switzerland. Iran’s side responded that no detailed discussions had yet occurred. The U.S., meanwhile, maintained that Iran had fully agreed to inspections.
Grossi emphasized that the 14‑point memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, signed by both presidents, commits the parties to negotiate a final deal within 60 days. The agreement covers the disposition of stockpiled enriched material and requires down‑blending on‑site under IAEA oversight.
IBEA inspectors have visited Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant earlier this month but still lack access to the sensitive facilities damaged during last June’s attacks, limiting the agency’s ability to assess Iran’s current nuclear inventory.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and rejects allegations of weapons development. The U.S. withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018, reinstating sanctions that Iran has increasingly defied.
