IAEA chief says Iran deal would allow nuclear inspections amid dispute over access

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said Friday that the temporary agreement between the United States and Iran gives UN nuclear inspectors access to Iran, pushing back on Tehran’s claim that nuclear sites will remain off limits until a final deal and sanctions relief are reached. Speaking at a news conference in Japan, Grossi said, "There is an agreement and in order to comply with this agreement, the International Atomic Energy Agency will need access and inspection." He added, "We hope to be there soon."

The New York Times reported this week that, despite denials, the question of inspector access came up in the negotiations. According to people familiar with the talks, the idea under discussion would give the IAEA broad authority to inspect almost any suspicious site on short notice. Those sources said Grossi was present in the negotiating corridors and rooms, speaking with the sides and explaining what level of access his teams would need. They said Iran appeared willing to accept the plan, but did not want to agree to dates or other specific details until other parts of the deal were settled.

The ambiguity continued after Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it would not allow IAEA representatives to visit nuclear sites damaged during the war, contradicting remarks by U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance. President Donald Trump dismissed what he called false statements and said, "Iran agreed to the highest level of nuclear inspections, full and absolute, for eternity." He also said money released by the Treasury after sanctions relief would go into a U.S.-controlled trust account to buy food and medical supplies only from the United States, including corn, wheat and soybeans.

Trump said, "This is a humanitarian crisis and I feel it is necessary to help now before it is too late. The talks are progressing well." Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that heavy damage to about 20 U.S. military sites in the Middle East during the war with Iran has prompted Washington to reconsider its force deployment and bases in the region. Officials said the military is weighing repairs to a damaged base in Bahrain, reducing the U.S. presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and moving personnel to bases farther from the range of Iranian missiles and drones.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate approved a war powers resolution on Iran that had already passed the House, calling for an end to the war with Iran. The measure passed 50-48, with four Republican senators joining Democrats, and would require Congress to approve any military action against Iran. Trump attacked the vote on his social network Truth Social, calling the four Republicans "losers" and saying, "I will do it, one way or another, because I always succeed."