US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that American inspectors will take part in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) missions when the agency eventually enters Iran for uranium inspections. Speaking to Fox News, Trump stated there was currently “no rush” to deploy the teams, echoing his earlier remark on Tuesday that inspection teams would arrive at the “appropriate time.”
Nuclear Material Trapped Under Debris
Trump explained that the nuclear material is trapped under a “mountain” of debris that collapsed following targeted airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025. Iran has not yet responded to Trump’s comments. According to reports, approximately 1,000 pounds (453.6 kilograms) of enriched uranium remain buried at sites hit during a US-Israeli offensive last June. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously confirmed the material is “under the rubble,” with no immediate plans for retrieval.
IAEA Chief Confirms Inspections Will Proceed
Rafael Mariano Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog, confirmed that inspections at Iranian enrichment facilities would move forward despite Tehran’s objections. “The accord says explicitly that the nuclear activities that are going to be carried out with regards to the nuclear material facilities will be supervised by the IAEA — in all letters,” Grossi told reporters at a news conference at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. He added, “Obviously, to do that, we have to inspect. Whether this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in 10 days, it’s important, but not essential. This is going to happen.”
Financial Relief and Diplomatic Tensions
Trump clarified that initial financial relief for Tehran will involve approximately $500 million in American goods. US officials stated that the assistance, linked to Treasury Department oil waivers, requires Iran to uphold its side of the diplomatic agreement. Meanwhile, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, head of the Iranian negotiating team, described the deal between Iran and the United States to end their war as “America’s declaration of defeat.” Speaking at a conference in Azerbaijan, Ghalibaf said, “The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation. That is why the Islamabad memorandum of understanding became a declaration of America’s defeat.” He also called for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from the region, arguing they are a source of instability.
Iranian Official Denies Meeting with IAEA Chief
However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei responded that Iran has neither held a meeting with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in Switzerland nor plans for the UN nuclear watchdog to inspect Iran’s damaged nuclear facilities. Despite this, Grossi signaled on Wednesday that Iranian nuclear enrichment sites would indeed be visited by his inspectors. Since the first round of Iranian-Israeli fighting in June 2025, the IAEA has been blocked by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic Republic is believed to be storing enough highly enriched uranium to potentially build as many as 10 nuclear weapons.
Upcoming Talks and Regional Reactions
A fresh round of talks between negotiators is set to take place next week. Israel, which launched the war alongside the US at the end of February, is not included in the talks, and its officials have expressed alarm at the terms of the memorandum of understanding. Ghalibaf emphasized that regional countries alone should determine the Middle East’s political and security order, rejecting external involvement and calling for expanded intra-regional cooperation.
