International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi stated that inspectors will visit Iranian nuclear sites, asserting that an agreement has been reached despite conflicting public statements. "There's a war of words here. Some say 'yes', others say 'no'," Grossi commented on Wednesday, acknowledging the political rhetoric surrounding the issue. He emphasized that a signed memorandum of understanding between the presidents of the United States and Iran explicitly mandates IAEA supervision of Iran's nuclear activities, including nuclear material and facilities.
Grossi indicated that the inspections will occur in collaboration with the Iranian government, and while the exact timing is flexible, the fundamental agreement remains in place. "Whether this happens the day after tomorrow, or in one week, or in 10 days, it's important but not essential," he said.
The dispute emerged following talks in Switzerland, where U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced that Iran had "agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into their country." However, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman stated the following day that no "detailed discussions" had occurred and that Iran had no plans to grant access to nuclear facilities that were damaged during a war between Israel and Iran in June 2025.
President Donald Trump countered these claims, dismissing Iran's statements as "protestations and false statements to the contrary" and asserting that the country had "fully and completely agreed" to inspections.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi later stated on X that access to Iran's damaged nuclear facilities and materials would only be addressed within the framework of a final agreement with the U.S. and after sanctions are lifted. He added that "media noise cannot be used to impose facts on the ground."
The 14-point memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran commits both nations to negotiating a final deal within 60 days. The agreement specifies that they will "resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material, pursuant to a mechanism that will be mutually agreed upon... with the minimum methodology to be down-blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA."
Recent reports from the IAEA indicated that inspectors were allowed to visit Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant earlier this month. However, they were still denied access to sensitive nuclear facilities that were bombed in June 2025. This lack of access prevents the IAEA from reporting on the current status of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, its composition, or whether enrichment activities have been suspended. Significant stockpiles are believed to be stored in underground tunnels at the Isfahan site.
Uranium enriched to high levels can be used for nuclear weapons. Prior to the February 28 conflict between the U.S. and Israel against Iran, the IAEA reported that Iran possessed 440 kg of uranium enriched to nearly weapons-grade purity (60%). This quantity, if further enriched to 90%, could theoretically be sufficient for approximately 10 nuclear bombs.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes and denies any intention to develop or acquire nuclear weapons. The country's nuclear activities have been subject to international scrutiny since the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Iran had agreed to limit its program and allow IAEA monitoring in exchange for sanctions relief. The U.S. withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, leading Iran to increase its uranium enrichment activities in breach of the deal's restrictions.