Iran Denies US Claims of IAEA Return to Bombed Nuclear Sites

Iran has explicitly denied claims by U.S. Vice President JD Vance that Tehran agreed to allow United Nations inspectors back into nuclear facilities struck by American and Israeli forces last year.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated on Tuesday that Tehran has no plans to permit the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect the damaged sites.

The denial directly contradicts assertions made by the U.S. vice president following the initial round of talks in Switzerland aimed at ending the broader Middle East conflict.

No IAEA Access to Sites

"We have not had a meeting with the director general of the IAEA, nor do we have any plans for the agency to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities," Baghaei said during a press briefing.

Iran's U.N. ambassador, Ali Bahreini, corroborated the stance, telling reporters that no decision has been made to allow the inspectors into the country.

Tehran initially blocked the U.N. nuclear watchdog from the sites following a 12-day war in mid-2025.

During that conflict, U.S. B-2 stealth bombers dropped bunker-busting munitions on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

The full extent of the damage remains unknown, despite former U.S. President Donald Trump claiming the sites were obliterated.

Broader Diplomatic Hurdles

The contradiction over IAEA access emerges as Washington and Tehran enter a 60-day memorandum of understanding to settle broader issues, including sanctions relief and Iran's nuclear program.

Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar announced that both sides agreed on a roadmap to draft a final agreement within this timeframe.

Four dedicated negotiating groups will be established to address nuclear issues, sanctions, and other related matters.

The U.S. Treasury has temporarily lifted sanctions on Iran, allowing the production and sale of crude products until mid-August.

Despite the framework, friction persists over a $12 billion release of frozen Iranian funds.

Vance stated that the assets remain frozen and must be restricted to the purchase of U.S. goods, such as soybeans.

Bahreini countered that Iran alone will dictate how its released funds are used.

Gulf Diplomacy Tour

Diplomatic maneuvering has intensified across the region, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio touring Gulf allies targeted during the war, including the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Concurrently, Iran's top negotiator, Ghalibaf, stated that the strategic Strait of Hormuz will not return to pre-war conditions of free passage.

The vital trade route will be administered by the Islamic Republic in accordance with international law, he noted.

However, maritime tracking firm Kpler reported a wartime record of 35 commodity carriers transiting the waterway on Monday.

Parallel Lebanon Negotiations

As the U.S.-Iran framework progresses, a fifth round of negotiations between Lebanese and Israeli officials is scheduled to take place in Washington.

Lebanese authorities are demanding the withdrawal of Israeli troops and insisting on decoupling their negotiations from the broader U.S.-Iran agreement.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Vance discussed a de-confliction mechanism on Monday to prevent spiraling violence.

Despite a newly declared ceasefire, hostilities have continued in Lebanon.

On Tuesday, Israeli soldiers fired machine guns at individuals clearing a road in the south, killing one man and wounding two others.