IAEA Claims Nuclear Inspections in Iran Will Proceed Soon
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi has stated that the agency will soon carry out nuclear inspections in Iran, following the completion of the first round of peace negotiations between the United States and Iran. “The nuclear inspection will be carried out,” Grossi said during a press conference in Japan. According to Grossi, the IAEA and Iran are currently discussing the technical details for implementing the inspection. “We will soon discuss the mechanisms—the dates, procedures, and locations,” he said.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, however, said his country has no plans yet to grant access to its nuclear facilities. He stated that the matter can only be discussed once the US and Iran have reached a final agreement, and there must be concrete steps towards lifting sanctions against Iran. On Tuesday, Iran indicated that the IAEA would not be permitted to inspect nuclear facilities that were targeted by American and Israeli airstrikes last year. Since its nuclear facilities were bombarded, Iran has not allowed the IAEA to access the most sensitive nuclear sites. The international body was still able to inspect several other facilities, but inspections were halted after the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.
US Vice President JD Vance had previously asserted that Iran had agreed to allow IAEA inspectors back into the country. Echoing his deputy, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iran had “fully agreed” to allow nuclear inspections and also mentioned that the US Navy would no longer blockade the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, the US and Iran signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU), which includes a principle agreement to end the war and a roadmap towards a final deal within 60 days. One of the main issues under discussion is Iran’s uranium, which has been enriched to 60 percent. If enriched to 90 percent, the uranium could be used for a nuclear weapon. “Paragraph 8 of this MoU explicitly states that nuclear-related activities will be monitored by the IAEA,” Grossi said. “Therefore, we must carry out an inspection. Whether it is the day after tomorrow, in a week, or in ten days, the inspection will be conducted. Of course, with Iran’s consent. If not, there will be another problem.”
Iran, however, appeared to dismiss Grossi’s statement. Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi said that permission for inspections still depends on the progress of negotiations, particularly regarding the lifting of sanctions. “Media hype cannot be used to impose facts on the ground,” Gharibabadi wrote on platform X. To date, Iran has not informed the IAEA how much enriched uranium remains after last year’s attacks and has kept its storage locations secret. Prior to the Israeli attack on 13 June 2025, the IAEA estimated that Iran had approximately 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent. If further enriched, this amount is believed to be sufficient to produce around ten nuclear weapons. The IAEA believes that more than 200 kilograms of highly enriched uranium are still stored in a tunnel complex in Isfahan, central Iran, which was targeted but did not sustain major damage.