UN nuclear agency boss says inspectors will visit Iran's nuclear sites
under Iran-US interim deal
[June 24, 2026]
By MARI YAMAGUCHI and JON GAMBRELL
TOKYO (AP) — The head of the U.N.'s nuclear agency signaled Wednesday
that Iranian nuclear enrichment sites would be visited by his
inspectors, a key component in the interim deal between the United
States and Iran to reach an end to the war.
The comment by International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano
Grossi was the firmest yet from the United Nations agency, which is
viewed as key in determining the status of Iran's nuclear stockpile.
Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, the IAEA has been
blocked by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic
Republic is believed to store enough highly enriched uranium to
potentially build as many as 10 nuclear weapons, should it choose to
rush for the bomb. Iran long has maintained that its program is
peaceful, though it is the only country in the world to have uranium
enriched up to 60% purity without a weapons program.
The U.S. and Iran offered contradictory remarks Tuesday about whether
those sites would be inspected. Grossi acknowledged the contradictions,
calling it a “war of words” at the moment.
Grossi says inspections are ‘going to happen’
“I can understand political statements, they are part of the reality,
but the fundamental thing I would like to remind you and draw your
attention to is that there has been a Memorandum of Understanding,
signed by both presidents,” he told journalists at a news conference at
the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The accord “says explicitly that the nuclear activities that are going
to be carried out with regards to the nuclear material facilities will
be supervised by the IAEA — in all letters,” he said.
Grossi added: “Obviously, to do that, we will have to inspect. Whether
this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s
important, but not essential. This is going to happen.”
Those inspections are key for the deal, which calls for Iran’s stockpile
of uranium to be “downblended” from highly enriched levels.
There was no immediate reaction from Iran. On Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that U.N.
inspectors were not scheduled to examine nuclear sites bombed by the
U.S. last year, rejecting comments made a day before by U.S. Vice
President JD Vance.
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International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi
speaks during a news conference at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power
plant in Okuma, Fukushima pferfecture, Japan Wednesday, June 24,
2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
IAEA blocked from seeing bombed sites
The IAEA has been allowed to visit other nuclear sites in Iran since
the 12-day war in 2025, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant. But
without accessing the enrichment sites, the IAEA says it is unable
to verify the status of Iran's stockpile or check the cascades of
centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Both Iran and the IAEA say
Tehran hasn't been enriching uranium, but nonproliferation experts
worry that the Islamic Republic may be moving its stockpile to
undeclared areas.
The U.S. and Iran agreed to a deal last week that calls for Tehran
to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed
sanctions on Iranian oil, while giving each side 60 days to hammer
out broader agreements.
But the uneasy ceasefire already has been tested by Iran saying it
closed the strait again over fighting between Israel and the
Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence again broke
out in Lebanon on Tuesday, but it did not escalate.
Marco Rubio is in the Middle East
Grossi’s remarks came as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived
in the Persian Gulf for a three-nation tour, beginning with a
closed-door meeting and private working lunch in Abu Dhabi with
Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the State Department
said Wednesday.
Rubio is scheduled to travel next to Kuwait and then Bahrain for
meetings with their leaders later Wednesday and Thursday.
___
Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press
writer Matthew Lee in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, contributed
to this report.
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