The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency stated Wednesday that inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites will go forward under a recently signed memorandum of understanding, pushing back on claims that Tehran has not consented to granting inspectors access.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi made the remarks during a press conference held at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where he emphasized that the agreement — signed by the presidents of both Iran and the United States — explicitly calls for IAEA oversight of nuclear activities.
“I can understand political statements, they are part of the reality, but the fundamental thing I would like to remind you and draw your attention to is that there has been a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by both presidents,” Grossi told reporters.
His comments come amid ongoing uncertainty about whether Iran has truly agreed to allow IAEA inspectors back inside its borders.
Earlier this week, Vice President JD Vance described nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran held in Switzerland as a “very, very good day,” stating that Tehran had agreed to permit IAEA inspectors into the country and calling it a “major milestone.”
Iranian officials quickly pushed back on that description. Tasnim reported Monday that neither Iran’s negotiating team nor top government officials had approved the return of inspectors to the country.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that any cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog would occur within the boundaries of Iran’s safeguards obligations and in line with decisions made by the country’s parliament and Supreme National Security Council.
Despite the back-and-forth public statements, Grossi stood firm, saying the memorandum itself lays out a clear foundation for inspections to take place.
“The accord,” he said, “says explicitly that the nuclear activities that are going to be carried out with regards to the nuclear material facilities will be supervised by the IAEA — in all letters.”
While Grossi acknowledged the exact timeline for inspections remains unclear, he was adamant that the process will not be stopped.
“Obviously, to do that, we will have to inspect. Whether this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s important, but not essential. This is going to happen,” he added.
Iran’s current stance is shaped by legislation passed last summer that scaled back cooperation with the IAEA and suspended inspections. However, IRNA reported that the law still allows inspectors to visit certain active nuclear facilities under limited conditions.
