IAEA to inspect Iran enrichment sites under US-Iran interim deal

Tokyo,UPDATED: Jun 24, 2026 15:28 IST

The head of the UN's nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday that inspectors would visit Iran's uranium enrichment sites, a central part of the interim agreement reached between the United States and Iran to try to end the war.

Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Mariano Grossi made the remarks at a news conference at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. His comments are the clearest indication yet from the agency, which is seen as crucial to establishing the status of Iran's nuclear stockpile.

Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, Tehran has blocked the IAEA from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic Republic is believed to hold enough highly enriched uranium to potentially make as many as 10 nuclear weapons if it chose to move quickly towards a bomb. Iran has long said its nuclear programme is peaceful, though it is the only country in the world to have uranium enriched to 60 per cent purity without a weapons programme.

The US and Iran gave conflicting accounts on Tuesday on whether those sites would be inspected. Grossi acknowledged the differences, describing the situation as a "war of words" for now. "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," he said. He added that the accord "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".

Grossi also said inspections would take place. "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 said. The inspections are a key part of the deal, which calls for Iran's stockpile of uranium to be downblended from highly enriched levels.

There was no immediate response from Iran. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that UN inspectors were not scheduled to visit nuclear sites bombed by the US last year, rejecting comments made a day earlier by US Vice President JD Vance.

The IAEA has been allowed to visit other nuclear sites in Iran since the 12-day war in 2025, including the Bushehr nuclear power plant. But without access to the enrichment sites, the agency says it cannot verify the condition of Iran's stockpile or inspect the cascades of centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Both Iran and the IAEA say Tehran has not been enriching uranium, though non-proliferation experts are concerned that the country may be moving its stockpile to undeclared locations.

The US and Iran agreed last week to a deal under which Tehran would dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium, while US-backed sanctions on Iranian oil would be waived. The two sides were also given 60 days to work out broader agreements. The fragile ceasefire has already faced strain, with Iran saying it shut the strait again amid fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence flared again in Lebanon on Tuesday, but it did not escalate.

Technical-level talks between the US and Iran are expected to resume early next week at the Burgenstock resort in Switzerland, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Pakistan has been a key mediator. Grossi's remarks came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the Persian Gulf for a three-nation visit, starting with a closed-door meeting and private working lunch in Abu Dhabi with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Rubio is due to travel to Kuwait and then Bahrain for meetings with their leaders later on Wednesday and Thursday.

Overall, Grossi said IAEA inspections of Iran's enrichment sites would go ahead under the US-Iran accord, even as public statements from Washington and Tehran remain at odds and broader diplomatic efforts continue.

With PTI Inputs

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