The International Atomic Energy Agency will conduct inspections of nuclear facilities in Iran, the nuclear watchdog’s chief, Rafael Grossi, stated in an interview with Tokyo-based news outlet NHK on Tuesday.
Grossi specified that the IAEA’s priority is confirming the location of Iran’s enriched uranium. While the IAEA has an idea of where the uranium is, Grossi said the agency still needs Iran’s confirmation, according to NHK.
The IAEA intends to coordinate with Iran soon to set dates and details of inspections, and will study how to get to the nuclear material within storage facilities that have been attacked during the war, Grossi told NHK.
“We think that the sooner the better, especially since this agreement has a time frame of 60 days, so we will have to be working without losing much time,” NHK cited Grossi as saying.
Grossi also emphasized the IAEA’s independence as an organization, with NHK writing that he said “if Iran wishes to invite the United States or other observers, this is another matter,” and that “we do not foresee that somebody needs to help us or control us.”
Trump insists Iran agreed to inspections into future
Trump insisted on Tuesday that Iran has agreed to allow nuclear inspections long into the future, despite statements from Iran that it has not done so.
Trump also said in an early morning social media post that the United States would leave ships in the Strait of Hormuz in case it becomes necessary to reimpose its blockade of Iranian ports.
“This will insure (sic) ‘Nuclear Honesty,'” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations,” he added.
“Based on this and other major concessions being made by Iran, I have agreed to allow the Hormuz Strait to remain OPEN, with no further Naval Blockade. However, all ships are remaining in place should it be necessary to reinstitute the Blockade, which seems, at this point, highly unlikely,” he continued.
Trump, in a second Truth Social post, also stated that a “record” of oil flowed through the Strait of Hormuz.
“19 Millions Barrels of Oil flowed out of the Hormuz Strait yesterday, an all time RECORD. Oil prices are tumbling down, and the World is a much safer place!!!” Trump wrote.
Iran forgoes meeting with IAEA chief Grossi
Meanwhile, Iran has neither held a meeting with Grossi in Switzerland nor plans for the UN nuclear watchdog to inspect Iran’s damaged nuclear facilities, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Esmaeil Baghaei said there was no protocol for such inspections, adding that Iran would continue its current obligations as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
