Iran denies US announcement that it allowed IAEA inspections

In statements to the official IRNA agency, reproduced by CNN, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated that the regime’s relations with the IAEA will continue “in accordance with Iran’s obligations under the safeguards agreements” and “in accordance with the resolutions approved by Parliament and the decisions of the Supreme National Security Council”.

This means that inspections will not be authorized, as a law passed by the Iranian Parliament last year suspended cooperation with the IAEA and inspections by the UN agency.

The Tasnim news agency, linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also denied that the inspections were authorized, stating that “permission for IAEA inspectors to enter Iran was not confirmed by the Iranian negotiation team or other responsible government authorities”, according to information reproduced by the Israeli press.

“Any potential presence of inspectors must be subject to a final agreement. An agreement that, given experience with the United States, appears unlikely to be reached,” Tasnim added.

Earlier, after Vance’s announcement, United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the American government will temporarily lift sanctions on Iran’s oil, citing progress in negotiations to end the war between the two countries.

Negotiators began talks in Switzerland on Sunday (21) with the aim of reaching a final agreement within 60 days; The Iranian nuclear program, which motivated the conflict, is the thorniest issue.

Vance and Iranian representatives left the European country this Monday; It has not yet been announced when and where the next round of negotiations will take place.