Iran on Tuesday rejected U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s claim that Tehran had agreed to let International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors return to the country, saying it will not allow them into nuclear sites damaged in the war. At a press conference in Tehran, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said, “We are not going to allow IAEA inspectors to visit the nuclear sites that were attacked in the war.”
Baghaei also said Iran did not meet IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Switzerland and that there is no procedure in place for inspectors to carry out checks at the damaged facilities. He added that Iran will continue to meet its current obligations as a member of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA. His comments directly contradicted Vance’s statement on Monday at the Lake Lucerne summit, where he said negotiations in Switzerland had produced an Iranian agreement to invite inspectors back, calling it “a significant milestone” and “the first step toward permanent nuclear disarmament or the permanent end of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.”
The IAEA has operated intermittently in Iran since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran last year, but it still has not received access to uranium enrichment sites bombed by the United States during that conflict. Baghaei also dismissed President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran would use unfrozen funds to buy American products. “We will decide how to spend the released Iranian funds. There are no restrictions on this matter,” he said, adding that the Lebanon ceasefire commitment is part of a memorandum of understanding and that the United States is obliged to uphold it.
He also brushed off criticism over the lack of a joint photo, saying, “We did not go to Switzerland for media activity and promotion.” Earlier Wednesday, Iranian state media said the technical talks in Switzerland had ended and that working groups would now be formed on the nuclear issue and sanctions relief. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said four groups would focus on sanctions removal, nuclear weapons issues, Iran’s reconstruction and economic development, and monitoring and oversight.
