IAEA chief confirms inspectors will visit Iranian nuclear sites
13 reported1 conflicting
The head of the U.N. nuclear agency stated Wednesday that his inspectors will visit Iranian nuclear enrichment sites, a key part of the interim deal between the United States and Iran to end the war. International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi made the comment at a news conference at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, the IAEA has been blocked by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where Iran is believed to store highly enriched uranium. The U.S. and Iran offered contradictory remarks Tuesday about whether those sites would be inspected. Grossi said a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both presidents explicitly states that nuclear activities will be supervised by the IAEA. He added that inspections will happen, though the exact timing is not essential.
What’s reported
IAEA head Rafael Mariano Grossi said inspectors will visit Iranian nuclear enrichment sites.
The inspections are a key component of the interim deal between the U.S. and Iran to end the war.
Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, the IAEA has been blocked from visiting enrichment sites.
Iran is believed to store enough highly enriched uranium to potentially build as many as 10 nuclear weapons.
Iran maintains its program is peaceful and is the only country with uranium enriched to 60% purity without a weapons program.
The U.S. and Iran gave contradictory remarks Tuesday about whether sites would be inspected.
Grossi cited a Memorandum of Understanding signed by both presidents that says nuclear activities will be supervised by the IAEA.
The deal calls for Iran’s stockpile of uranium to be “downblended” from highly enriched levels.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said U.N. inspectors were not scheduled to examine nuclear sites bombed by the U.S. last year.
The IAEA has been allowed to visit other nuclear sites in Iran since the 2025 war, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant.
Both Iran and the IAEA say Tehran hasn't been enriching uranium, but nonproliferation experts worry Iran may be moving its stockpile to undeclared areas.
The U.S. and Iran agreed to a deal last week that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile and waives U.S.-backed sanctions, giving each side 60 days for broader agreements.
The ceasefire has been tested by Iran saying it closed the strait again over fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Conflicting accounts
The U.S. and Iran offered contradictory remarks Tuesday about whether the nuclear sites would be inspected. On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said U.N. inspectors were not scheduled to examine nuclear sites bombed by the U.S. last year, rejecting comments made a day before by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Key figures
Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency
Esmail Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson
JD Vance, U.S. Vice President
Sources: abcnews.com
