WANA (Jun 26) – The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has once again stressed the need for inspectors to regain access to Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying that although Tehran does not appear to be seeking nuclear weapons, this assessment must be verified through on-site inspections.

 

In his latest remarks, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the agency is ready to resume its technical work in Iran and expressed hope that its inspectors will soon be able to return to the country’s nuclear sites. He claimed that, under an understanding between Iran and the United States, the IAEA would oversee the inspection process and added that preliminary exchanges with Iranian officials had already taken place.

 

Grossi also asserted that the agency believes Iran’s nuclear material has not been moved since its last inspections in 2025. However, he insisted that the IAEA requires renewed access to Iran’s nuclear facilities to independently verify that assessment.

 

Addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, Grossi outlined two possible options: diluting highly enriched uranium or transferring the enriched uranium to a third country. He emphasized, however, that the final decision would be determined within the framework of an understanding between Tehran and Washington, while the details of the IAEA’s role and the composition of a joint coordination committee would depend on the outcome of negotiations between the two countries.

 

Grossi’s comments come as Iranian officials have repeatedly ruled out granting the IAEA access to nuclear facilities damaged during recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi previously stated that any discussion regarding access to those sites could only take place within the framework of a final agreement and after the other side fulfills its commitments, including the complete lifting of sanctions.

 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has likewise rejected the possibility of inspections at the damaged facilities, saying there is neither a mechanism nor a plan for such visits. According to Baghaei, under the terms of the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding, Iran’s nuclear program will remain unchanged during the agreed period.

 

Routine IAEA inspections at facilities already under safeguards, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant, will continue, while access to sites that became inaccessible following the military attacks will depend on the progress and outcome of future negotiations.