Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), informed reporters on Wednesday that the agency is set to inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities, following an agreement made by the Iranian regime as part of its peace negotiations with the United States.
Grossi’s comments came during his visit to Japan, addressing concerns raised by Iranian officials who asserted that there are no current plans for international inspections of Iran’s nuclear sites. While Iranian officials did not outright deny the inspections, their statements seemed to contradict President Donald Trump’s recent announcement claiming that Iran had agreed to some of the most rigorous nuclear inspections seen in years.
Grossi mentioned, “Tests will certainly take place,” adding, “We will soon discuss the specifics, including dates, procedures, and locations.”
He highlighted that a recent memorandum of understanding between Iran and the U.S. establishes the need for IAEA inspections of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
“Section 8 of this memorandum states, quite clearly, that any nuclear activities relating to nuclear materials or facilities will be overseen by the IAEA,” Grossi explained. “This naturally involves testing. Whether it happens tomorrow, a week from now, or ten days from now is important, but not absolutely critical.”
He added, “If they (Iran) want to stick to the deal, this will happen. If not, well, that’s a different story,” according to a transcript of his statements.
The memorandum, signed by Iran and the U.S. last week, aims to halt hostilities that escalated after the Trump administration’s Operation Epic Fury, formalizing a ceasefire that started in April. The agreement initiates a 60-day negotiation period meant to solidify a detailed peace arrangement addressing U.S. concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“The United States and Iran have agreed to manage the disposal of accumulated concentrated materials through a mutually accepted mechanism,” the text details, “following an agreed methodology for on-site down-blending under IAEA oversight according to a timeline specified in Section 7.”
The memorandum also urges the U.S. to work towards lifting all sanctions against Iran, including those from the United Nations Security Council and unilateral actions from the United States.
Iran reportedly operates at least three major uranium enrichment facilities, which are said to produce more fissile material than necessary for any known peaceful use. In June 2025, the IAEA imposed sanctions on Iran for the first time in two decades due to violations related to its nuclear activities. This followed President Trump’s order for airstrikes on three facilities, leaving the fate of the enriched uranium at those locations uncertain, as the Iranian government has denied IAEA access to evaluate the damage.
In a recent update to the IAEA Board of Governors, Grossi stated the agency “cannot provide any details about the current quantity, composition, or location of Iran’s enriched uranium or confirm if all enrichment activities have ceased.” He emphasized the urgent need for the IAEA to gain access to Iran’s nuclear sites, citing a significant “loss of continuity” in acquiring necessary information.
President Trump announced on Tuesday that Iran has agreed to allow the IAEA to resume its operations. He noted, “Iran fully and completely agreed to the highest level of nuclear inspections moving forward.” He insisted that if Iran does not comply, further negotiations would not proceed.
In response to questions, Iranian officials expressed skepticism regarding the planned inspections. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Bagay stated that no specific inspection plan is currently in place, leading some international media to interpret this as a denial of inspections, rather than reflecting that the nuclear issue is on the agenda during the 60-day memorandum. Bagay mentioned that Iranian and U.S. officials did not address the nuclear topic during recent talks in Switzerland, but emphasized Iran’s intention to maintain discussions with the IAEA.
“Iran will continue its relations in line with its commitments under the Safeguards Agreement,” he said, adding that compliance will align with laws established by the Islamic Consultative Council and decisions from the Supreme National Security Council.
