Iran deal grants access to nuclear inspectors, says IAEA chief

Lead

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has said that inspectors will visit Iranian nuclear sites under the interim peace accord signed between the United States and Iran, dismissing political statements to the contrary. Speaking at a press conference in Japan on Wednesday, Grossi said the memorandum of understanding signed by both presidents explicitly places nuclear activities under IAEA supervision, making inspections a necessity.

The interim agreement, signed last week, paves the way for 60 days of talks aimed at resolving thornier issues, including the fate of Iran's highly enriched uranium. Grossi's remarks came after Iranian officials indicated that key sites would remain off-limits until a final deal is reached and sanctions are lifted.

Coverage comparison

Reports from Deutsche Welle and The Hindu highlight Grossi's confidence that inspections will happen, quoting him as saying, "This is going to happen." The Jerusalem Post, citing US envoy Steve Witkoff, reported that Iran has invited the IAEA to inspect its nuclear sites, with a side letter drafted between Tehran and the agency.

While the Jerusalem Post framed the agreement optimistically, describing it as a "breakthrough," other reports were more measured. The Hindu noted that the US and Iran offered contradictory remarks about site inspections, and that Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said there were no plans to grant access to inspectors. Deutsche Welle also reported that Iran's ambassador to the UN in Geneva stressed Tehran had not yet agreed to the return of IAEA inspectors.

Despite these conflicting signals, Grossi maintained that the agreement obliges inspections. "There is an agreement and to comply with that agreement, the IAEA will have to have access and inspect," he said on Friday, as reported by The Hindu and the Jerusalem Post.

Key claims

• Inspections mandated by accord: Grossi said the memorandum of understanding states, in bold letters, that nuclear activities will be supervised by the IAEA. "Obviously, to do that, we will have to inspect," he told journalists.

• Uranium stockpile: Iran holds around 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to about 60% purity, a level that is a short step from weapons-grade. The IAEA estimates this could be enough for 10 nuclear weapons if further enriched, according to The Hindu.

• Downblending in place of removal: According to a leaked version of the memorandum, Iran's enriched nuclear material will not be removed from the country but diluted inside Iran under IAEA supervision, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

• Inspections suspended since 2025: Iran has not allowed the IAEA to visit its most sensitive nuclear sites since US and Israeli attacks in June last year. The IAEA has inspected other sites, but inspections were suspended after the February attacks, according to The Hindu.

• 60 days of talks: The interim accord sets the stage for 60 days of negotiations on remaining issues, including the nuclear program's specifics, as reported by The Hindu and the Jerusalem Post.

• Iran maintains peaceful program: Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful, though it is the only country without a weapons program to enrich uranium to 60%, as noted by The Hindu.

• First goal of inspections: Grossi said the initial goal of any visit would be to check whether IAEA seals on previously inspected material remained intact and whether any material was missing. "Intentions are not enough. We have to have a very strong verification system in place," he said.

Perspectives

IAEA (Rafael Grossi): The IAEA chief insists that the memorandum of understanding obligates inspections and that the agency will have to access and inspect Iranian sites. He has stated that the exact timing is less important than the fact that inspections will occur.

Iranian officials: Iran's deputy foreign minister and head of the negotiating team, Kazem Gharibabadi, said that issues related to inspections would be reviewed and decided only within the framework of a final agreement, after progress on lifting sanctions. Iran's ambassador to the UN in Geneva also stressed that Tehran had not yet agreed to the return of IAEA inspectors.

US envoy Steve Witkoff: Speaking in a private briefing, Witkoff said that Iran would invite the IAEA to inspect its nuclear sites, with a side letter allowing US nuclear inspectors to accompany them. He clarified that the memorandum does not include side deals but that a side letter had been drafted.