The head of the UN nuclear agency signed on Wednesday that Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities will be visited by his inspectors, an important part of the US-Iran interim agreement to end the conflict. But the Iranian ambassador quickly rejected this, saying such a visit could only come after a final deal – a denial that highlights the dangers of ongoing negotiations.
The words of the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Mariano Grossi were the strongest of all of the United Nations, which is considered important in determining the status of Iran’s nuclear arsenal.
Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, the IAEA has been barred by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic Republic is believed to store uranium enriched enough to build 10 nuclear weapons, if it chooses to go ahead with the bomb. Iran has long insisted that its program is peaceful, even though it is the only country in the world with up to 60 percent enriched uranium without a weapons program.
The US and Iran offered conflicting comments on Tuesday over whether to inspect those sites. Grossi acknowledged this controversy, calling it a “war of words” at the moment.
“I understand political statements, they are part of reality, but the main thing I would like to remind you and pay attention to is that there was a Cooperation Agreement, signed by both presidents,” he told reporters at a press conference at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that was hit by the tsunami.
The agreement “clearly states that nuclear activities to be carried out in relation to nuclear facilities will be supervised by the IAEA – in every letter,” he said.
Grossi added: “Obviously, to do that, we’ll have to test. Whether this happens tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s important, but it’s not important. This will happen.”
That test is key to the deal, which requires Iran’s stockpile of uranium to be “degraded” from highly enriched levels.
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Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, fired back at Grossi after his speech, saying Tehran had not met him while he was in Switzerland.
“These issues will be reviewed and decided only within the framework of the final agreement and as a result of the effective action of the other side to end all sanctions and other measures.” Gharibabadi wrote in X.
He added: “You cannot advance a policy of ‘incitement and take over’ with media hype.”
The IAEA is blocked from seeing the bombed sites
The IAEA has been allowed to visit other nuclear sites in Iran since the 12-day war in 2025, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant. But without access to the enrichment facilities, the IAEA says it cannot verify the status of Iran’s stockpile or inspect the centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Both Iran and the IAEA say that Tehran has not been enriching uranium, but non-proliferation experts worry that the Islamic Republic may be moving its stockpiles to undeclared locations.
The US and Iran agreed to a deal last week that calls for Tehran to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium and lift US-backed sanctions on Iranian oil, while giving each side 60 days to make broader concessions.
But the controversial ceasefire has been criticized by Iran, which it says has also ended fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. On Tuesday, violence broke out in Lebanon, but it did not escalate.
Technical-level talks between the US and Iran are expected to resume early next week at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Pakistan has been an important mediator.
Marco Rubio is in the Middle East
Grossi’s comments 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 lunch in Abu Dhabi with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the State Department said on Wednesday.
Rubio is scheduled to travel next door to Kuwait and then Bahrain to meet with their leaders later Wednesday and Thursday.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
