U.S.-Iran Dispute Over IAEA Nuclear Inspections...Trump Warns "Talks in Jeopardy If Rejected"

Trump Warns in Response to Iran’s Denial
IAEA Chief: "60-Day Deadline, Identifying Uranium Location Is Top Priority"

The United States and Iran have begun working-level negotiations following the signing of an end-of-war memorandum of understanding (MOU), but disagreements have resurfaced over whether Iran will allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections of its nuclear facilities.

U.S. President Donald Trump is seen disembarking from Air Force One after arriving at Joint Base Andrews on the 23rd (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at Reading Airport in Pennsylvania on the 23rd (local time), addressed the timing of the IAEA’s visit to Iran for nuclear facility inspections, stating, “They will be on the ground at the appropriate time.” Although Iran continues to deny the U.S. government’s announcement that it has accepted IAEA nuclear inspections, President Trump once again refuted Iran’s position.

Regarding Iran’s denial of the inspection plan, he said, “They are wrong,” and warned, “If Iran’s claim is correct, we would immediately cancel the negotiations.” This is interpreted as a warning that the negotiations themselves could be jeopardized if Iran refuses IAEA inspections. At a campaign event in Pennsylvania, President Trump also emphasized, “We have just achieved a historic peace agreement to end the dispute with Iran. Most importantly, Iran will never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, and Iran has agreed to this.”

Key officials are also in alignment. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is currently on a Middle East tour, characterized Iran’s statements as “political messaging” aimed at domestic opposition, and added, “We know what they have agreed to. The progress of the negotiations will depend on whether they follow through.” J.D. Vance, Vice President and chief representative of the U.S. negotiating team, stated after talks the previous day, “Iran has agreed to the re-entry of the IAEA inspection team,” and said inspections are expected to begin within this week.

Raphael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), held a press conference at the agency's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on the 5th (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

These remarks are in direct contradiction to Iran’s position. On the same day, Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, denied reports that Iran had accepted IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities and said that the resumption of inspections would depend on the outcome of future negotiations. He stated, “Nuclear negotiations must be conducted within 60 days, but prerequisite conditions must be met,” adding, “During this period, the current state of the nuclear program will be maintained and existing IAEA inspections will continue.”

The IAEA has urged both countries to reach a swift agreement. The IAEA has not been able to conduct on-site inspections since the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June of last year. Earlier this month, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution urging Iran to disclose information related to enriched uranium and to accept inspections. Director General Raphael Grossi stated in an interview with NHK the previous day, “Since there is a 60-day deadline, inspections must begin as quickly as possible,” adding, “The top priority is identifying the location of highly enriched uranium, and it is crucial that Iran provides this information directly.” He also noted, “Some storage facilities have been damaged by attacks, so we may need to further review access methods.”

With the two countries also at odds over the unfreezing of assets and transit fees for the Strait of Hormuz, they have agreed to establish four working groups to address key issues. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi the previous day, reported that the United States and Iran will set up four working groups focused on sanctions termination, nuclear issues, reconstruction and economic development, and monitoring and implementation. Each group’s negotiations will be overseen by a high-level committee including the Iranian Speaker of Parliament, Foreign Minister, U.S. Vice President, and the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and Qatar. The specific schedule for follow-up negotiations has not been disclosed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.