US and Iran Differ on IAEA Inspections After Talks

The first full day of US-Iran talks in Switzerland ended with Washington and Tehran offering differing accounts of what had been agreed, particularly on the issue of international inspections of Iran’s nuclear programme.

Speaking after the opening round of negotiations at the Burgenstock resort in Switzerland, US Vice President JD Vance said Iran had agreed to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back into the country.

“The Iranians have agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into their country,” Vance told reporters according to AFP. “That is a major milestone for the American people and the first step in permanently denuclearising or permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran,” he said.

Vance also struck an optimistic tone about the negotiations, saying: “We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal.”

The talks marked the beginning of a two-month negotiating period outlined in a preliminary agreement reached last week. Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said negotiators had agreed on a “roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days”, with technical discussions set to continue throughout the week.

US President Donald Trump echoed Vance’s comments, writing on Truth Social that Iran would agree to inspections aimed at ensuring 'nuclear honesty'. Trump later told reporters: “If Iran doesn't live up to their agreement, or if they're not behaving, I will do what I have to do.”

However, Iran publicly disputed suggestions that any such commitment had been made. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told the official IRNA news agency that Iran had not yet discussed nuclear issues during the talks and had made no new commitments on the matter.

According to IRNA, Baghaei said negotiations on the nuclear issue had not yet begun, directly contradicting the US account of the discussions. He also added that Iran’s interactions with the IAEA would continue in accordance with current procedures, subject to the approval of Iran’s parliament and the decisions of the Supreme National Security Council.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of long-running tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran has limited inspections by the IAEA since previous US and Israeli military action and suspended them entirely after the outbreak of war earlier this year. Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful.

Iran’s parliament last year passed legislation curtailing cooperation with the IAEA and suspending routine inspections following US strikes on the Iranian nuclear facilities at Esfahan, Fordow and Natanz. However, ties with the UN nuclear watchdog were not completely severed. The law still permits inspectors to access certain 'active nuclear sites', including the Bushehr nuclear power plant, on a 'case-by-case basis'.

Under the terms of last week’s preliminary framework, released by US officials, Iran is expected to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium, potentially through “down-blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA”. The UN watchdog estimates that Iran possesses around 440 kilogrammes of uranium enriched to 60 per cent, close to weapons-grade levels.

Vance said discussions on the return of inspectors could begin almost immediately. “I expect that will happen at the minimum this week, but we think even some of those conversations with the inspectors... and with the IAEA could happen as soon as today,” he said.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi confirmed on X that he was present at Burgenstock and had met Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.