Iran said on Monday it would not agree to the resumption of international inspections at some of its nuclear facilities.
Responding to questions about whether Tehran would allow inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to regain access to nuclear sites, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran would not accept the request.
The position comes despite ongoing discussions between Tehran and Washington under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which calls for negotiations on the future of Tehran’s nuclear programme. However, the agreement does not commit either side to specific measures or timelines.
Following two days of direct talks between US and Iranian officials after the memorandum was signed, Vice President JD Vance had said he expected IAEA inspections to resume within days.
That expectation was later challenged by Iranian officials. A senior Iranian negotiator said any arrangement regarding inspections would only be finalised as part of a broader agreement with Washington.
The IAEA previously carried out regular inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities and operated monitoring cameras under the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), negotiated during the Obama administration.
However, Iran gradually restricted access after President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal during his first term.
Since then, Tehran has significantly expanded its uranium enrichment activities, producing near-weapons-grade material for the first time and raising concerns among Western governments over the direction of its nuclear programme.
