IAEA inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites remain crucial
As the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues its oversight of Iran’s nuclear program, Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized the importance of the signed Memorandum of Understanding between the two nations, reports BritPanorama.
At a news conference held at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Grossi detailed that the accord explicitly mandates IAEA supervision over nuclear activities concerning nuclear material facilities. “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,” he stated.
Grossi noted that inspections will be carried out, stressing the timing is flexible: “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.”
These inspections are pivotal for a recent agreement, which stipulates that Iran’s uranium stockpile is to be downblended from highly enriched levels.
There was no immediate reaction from Iran regarding Grossi’s comments. Earlier, on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei indicated that U.N. inspectors would not be examining nuclear sites that were bombed by the U.S. last year, directly countering remarks made by U.S. Vice President JD Vance the previous day.
Since the onset of the 12-day conflict in 2025, the IAEA has gained access to other nuclear sites in Iran, including the Bushehr nuclear power facility. However, the IAEA has voiced concerns about being unable to verify the status of Iran’s uranium stockpile or inspect the centrifuges used for enrichment due to a lack of access to critical enrichment sites. While both Tehran and the IAEA assert that Iran is not currently enriching uranium, experts warn that the country may be relocating its stockpile to undisclosed locations.
Negotiations last week led to an agreement stipulating that Iran will dilute its enriched uranium stockpile, alongside the suspension of U.S.-backed sanctions for a period. This deal allows both parties 60 days to establish a more comprehensive arrangement.
However, tensions persist. Iran stated it had closed the strait again amid renewed fighting involving Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence flared once more in Lebanon on Tuesday, although it has yet to escalate significantly.
