Rafael Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has confirmed that his team will conduct inspections in Iran as part of a preliminary peace deal between the United States and Iran. Grossi stated that the agency is currently coordinating the specific logistics, including timelines and locations, for these visits. According to the signed memorandum, the reduction of Iran’s enriched uranium supply must occur under IAEA oversight.
However, tensions persist regarding the extent of this access. Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, maintained that full access to damaged facilities and nuclear materials remains contingent upon a comprehensive final agreement with Washington. This disagreement follows conflicting claims from political leaders; while US Vice-President JD Vance asserted that Iran had agreed to permit inspectors back into the country, Iranian officials previously denied any such commitment for sites affected by the conflict in June 2025.
Despite the diplomatic friction, Grossi emphasized that both US President Donald Trump and Iranian leadership signed an agreement explicitly requiring IAEA supervision of nuclear materials. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is engaging with Gulf nations, and recent reports indicate that the Strait of Hormuz has reopened for shipping as part of broader de-escalation efforts, leading to a decline in global oil prices.
