IAEA chief confirms nuclear inspectors will access Iran's sites under the US-Iran interim peace deal, but Tehran disputes the scope of its commitments

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — the United Nations' nuclear watchdog — has confirmed that inspectors will carry out inspections at Iran's nuclear sites under the terms of the interim US-Iran peace agreement signed last week. IAEA director general Rafael Grossi told reporters in Japan on Friday: 'The inspections will indeed take place,' adding that modalities including dates, procedures, and locations would be finalised 'very soon'. The 14-point memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran explicitly provides that Iran's dilution of highly enriched uranium will be carried out under IAEA supervision. However, Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi pushed back publicly, stating that access to damaged nuclear facilities and nuclear material would only be addressed within the framework of a final deal, and only after 'practical steps' to lift all sanctions. The dispute over inspection access has significant energy and commodities market implications. The agreement also commits the US and Iran to negotiating a final deal within 60 days, with the interim period covering an Iranian commitment to allow shipping through the Strait of Hormuz while the US lifts its naval blockade. Brent crude oil fell below $75 per barrel for the first time since the US-Israeli war on Iran began, on Wednesday, reflecting market expectations of a sustained reopening. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently touring Gulf states — including the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain — to brief regional allies on the deal's terms, and indicated negotiators are likely to meet again in Switzerland before the end of June. The IAEA has previously reported that it was denied access to Iran's sensitive nuclear facilities bombed last June, leaving the size, composition, and whereabouts of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile unverifiable.