"Hope to be there soon": IAEA Director General on inspection of Iran's nuclear sites
Tokyo, June 26
Despite Iran's repeated denial of inspection of its nuclear sites as per the said agreement with the US, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi on Friday expressed hope that the UN nuclear watchdog would soon be able to resume inspections of the nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic, saying that access to the sites is essential to verify Tehran's nuclear programme.
Speaking at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Grossi said the IAEA's technical work was already underway following the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) reached between the United States and Iran.
"What is undeniable is that we have an MoU. This MoU specifically indicates that the nuclear part of the memorandum will be supervised; this work will be supervised by the IAEA. In order to supervise, we need to inspect. There is no other way. So the technical work has started. And we hope to be there soon," Grossi said.
The IAEA chief also spoke about Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, saying the agency's current assessment is that the material remains at the locations where it was last verified in June 2025.
Grossi further noted that most of the stockpile is believed to be at the Fordow nuclear facility, with additional material at Natanz.
However, he stressed that the agency must regain physical access to confirm the status of the uranium.
"It is the impression or idea that it is where it was back in June 2025," he added.
Grossi recalled that during the IAEA's last visit to Iran in June 2025, inspectors measured, weighed and sealed the enriched uranium stockpiles.
"So before anything starts, we have to go back and check whether our seals are there and whether there is any missing material. That is, I would say, the first thing before anything else," he said.
However, Iran has been respectfully denying that, as per their agreement with the US, there was no provision for the inspection of Iran's nuclear sites.
On Thursday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, in a post on X, rejected suggestions that the IAEA would soon gain access to its nuclear facilities, saying no meeting had taken place with the IAEA Director General despite his request in Switzerland, where the initial round of technical talks took place between the US and Iran as per the MoU.
Gharibabadi said there was "no programme" for granting the UN nuclear watchdog access to sites damaged in recent attacks or to Iran's nuclear materials, noting that such issues would be addressed only under a final agreement and after the other side, referring to the US, took practical steps to lift all sanctions.
"In Switzerland, no meeting was held with Grossi, despite his request. There is also no program for access to the attacked facilities and nuclear materials. These issues will solely be examined and resolved within the framework of the final agreement and as a result of the other party's practical action in terminating all sanctions, and you cannot advance the "stir up and take over" policy with media hype," the post read.
Notably, on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he would "cancel meetings" as part of the technical talks with Iran if Tehran does not allow IAEA nuclear inspections in the Islamic Republic, asserting that Washington has secured assurances on inspection access as part of ongoing talks.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Pennsylvania, Trump dismissed concerns over Iran's stance on inspections.
Responding to questions on UN nuclear watchdog inspectors would be deployed under the agreement, Trump insisted that Iran had already agreed in principle.
"They're wrong. They're wrong. They're wrong. They know they're wrong. They told us inside, and we have it down 100 per cent for inspections. And if they were right, I'd cancel the meetings right now," Trump said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Grossi is being too optimistic, I think. Iran has a history of stonewalling inspectors. Remember the 2015 JCPOA? Even after that, there were issues. India should learn from this—when we need to inspect something, we can't just rely on promises. Verification is everything.
Honestly, I'm more worried about what Iran might have hidden after the attacks on their facilities last year. If they're not letting IAEA in, that's a red flag. India has always supported peaceful nuclear energy, but we also know the dangers of weaponization. Stay vigilant, world! 🌍
I get Iran's frustration—sanctions have hurt them badly. But lies about inspections only make things worse. Trump's threat to cancel talks is classic sabre-rattling. Instead of this back-and-forth, why not sit down like mature nations? India deals with Pakistan all the time; dialogue works better than ultimatums. 😤
Typical Iranian delaying tactics. They'll keep saying "after the final agreement" indefinitely. Grossi is right—seals need checking, or we could have missing material. This is like that time India inspected the Rajasthan reactor with IAEA after the 1974 tests. You need eyes on the ground, not just paperwork. 🤷♂️
The Iranian deputy minister's post is very telling—he's basically saying inspections are a bargaining chip. That's dangerous. As an Indian, I think we should push for a multilateral approach, not just US-Iran bilateral talks. The IAEA must have unconditional access.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.