UN nuclear chief says inspectors will visit Iran sites as part of war deal

Coverage

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will carry out inspections in Iran under a preliminary peace agreement between the US and Iran, the agency's director general, Rafael Grossi, has announced. Speaking to reporters in Japan, Grossi said, "The inspections will indeed take place," adding that "the modalities - dates, procedures, places" will be worked out soon.

Grossi also stated that the agreement, signed last week, "says explicitly that the dilution of Iran's highly enriched uranium would be carried out under IAEA supervision." His comments come at a time when Washington and Tehran have exchanged conflicting public statements about the timing and scope of inspections.

Key Points

The preliminary deal includes provisions for Iran to allow shipping to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while the US lifts a naval blockade on Iranian ports, and for IAEA oversight of nuclear activities. According to Grossi, the agreement says explicitly that the nuclear activities with respect to nuclear material and facilities will be supervised by the IAEA.

However, Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, has said that access to nuclear facilities damaged in the war will only be discussed after the US lifts all sanctions and fulfills its obligations under the memorandum of understanding. He stated that the issue of IAEA access to damaged facilities would be addressed within the framework of a final deal.

US President Donald Trump, in a phone call with Fox News's Trey Yingst, said there is "no rush" regarding the timing of inspections and confirmed that US inspectors will join the IAEA team to locate highly enriched uranium. Trump's remarks came after Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said there had been "no detailed discussions" and that Iran had no plans to grant access to bombed nuclear facilities.

The State of Iran's Nuclear Program

Iran's nuclear program was massively damaged in the two recent wars with the US and Israel, according to reports. The main enrichment sites at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow were all bombed, leaving approximately 400 kilograms of 60% highly enriched uranium buried under rubble. This stockpile is the closest to weaponized level (90%) and requires IAEA supervision to ensure it is removed or diluted.

Experts point out that the focus of inspections has shifted from monitoring an active enrichment program to listing what remains functional and preventing its rejuvenation. David Albright, a physicist and president of the Institute for Science and International Security, told Fox News Digital that "Iran has not cooperated for twenty years" and that the IAEA "comes up short" in securing verification. He described Iran's approach as "generating plans of action that can be extended," turning the process into a "pointless exercise."

The IAEA said in a recent report that inspectors were allowed to visit Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant earlier this month, but were still denied access to the sensitive nuclear facilities bombed last June. Iran insists its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful and that it would never seek to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.

Regional and Security Context

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is visiting Gulf nations to discuss the US-Iran deal. On Wednesday, he met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is due to travel to Kuwait and Bahrain.

In the broader security environment, the US destroyed around 2,600 ballistic missile-related targets during the 2026 Iran war, according to reports. Meanwhile, some ships have already passed through the Strait of Hormuz under a scheme to evacuate sailors stranded by the conflict.

The price of Brent crude oil fell below $75 for the first time since the US-Israeli war on Iran began, following the initial agreement.

Perspectives

US officials maintain that full and immediate access for IAEA inspectors is essential to verify the dismantlement of Iran's nuclear weapons program and to remove or dilute the enriched uranium stockpile.

Iranian authorities argue that access to damaged nuclear facilities is a matter for a final deal, not the preliminary agreement, and link any cooperation to the lifting of sanctions and US compliance with the memorandum of understanding.

Experts are skeptical of Iran's commitment to transparency, citing two decades of what they call a pattern of obstruction and delay.

Outlook

The US and Iran have committed to negotiating a final agreement within 60 days. In the meantime, the IAEA and US are preparing for inspections, though the timeline remains uncertain. The key unresolved questions include the fate of the 400 kilograms of 60% uranium and the degree of access to the bombed sites, particularly the so-called Pickaxe Mountain facility, which some analysts consider a potential threat and a priority for inspections.