UN: Inspectors to Visit Iran Nuke Sites06/24 06:19

   The head of the U.N.'s nuclear agency signaled Wednesday that Iranian 
nuclear enrichment sites would be visited by his inspectors, a key component in 
the interim deal between the United States and Iran to reach an end to the war.

   TOKYO (AP) -- The head of the U.N.'s nuclear agency signaled Wednesday that 
Iranian nuclear enrichment sites would be visited by his inspectors, a key 
component in the interim deal between the United States and Iran to reach an 
end to the war.

   The comment by International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi 
was the firmest yet from the United Nations agency, which is viewed as key in 
determining the status of Iran's nuclear stockpile.

   Since Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran in 2025, the IAEA has been 
blocked by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic Republic is 
believed to store enough highly enriched uranium to potentially build as many 
as 10 nuclear weapons, should it choose to rush for the bomb. Iran long has 
maintained that its program is peaceful, though it is the only country in the 
world to have uranium enriched up to 60% purity without a weapons program.

   The U.S. and Iran offered contradictory remarks Tuesday about whether those 
sites would be inspected. Grossi acknowledged the contradictions, calling it a 
"war of words" at the moment.

   Grossi says inspections are 'going to happen'

   "I can understand political statements, they are part of the reality, but 
the fundamental thing I would like to remind you and draw your attention to is 
that there has been a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by both presidents," 
he told journalists at a news conference at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi 
nuclear power plant.

   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," he said.

   Grossi added: "Obviously, to do that, we will 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."

   Those inspections are key for the deal, which calls for Iran's stockpile of 
uranium to be "downblended" from highly enriched levels.

   There was no immediate reaction from Iran. On Tuesday, Iran's Foreign 
Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that U.N. 
inspectors were not scheduled to examine nuclear sites bombed by the U.S. last 
year, rejecting comments made a day before by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

   IAEA blocked from seeing bombed sites

   The IAEA has been allowed to visit other nuclear sites in Iran since the 
12-day war in 2025, such as the Bushehr nuclear power plant. But without 
accessing the enrichment sites, the IAEA says it is unable to verify the status 
of Iran's stockpile or check the cascades of centrifuges used to enrich 
uranium. Both Iran and the IAEA say Tehran hasn't been enriching uranium, but 
nonproliferation experts worry that the Islamic Republic may be moving its 
stockpile to undeclared areas.

   The U.S. and Iran agreed to a deal last week that calls for Tehran to dilute 
its stockpile of enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on Iranian 
oil, while giving each side 60 days to hammer out broader agreements.

   But the uneasy ceasefire already has been tested by Iran saying it closed 
the strait again over fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia 
Hezbollah in Lebanon. Violence again broke out in Lebanon on Tuesday, but it 
did not escalate.

   Technical-level talks between the U.S. and Iran are expected to resume early 
next week at the Brgenstock resort in Switzerland, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry 
said Wednesday. Pakistan has been a key mediator.

   Marco Rubio is in the Middle East

   Grossi's remarks came as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the 
Persian Gulf for a three-nation tour, beginning with a closed-door meeting and 
private working lunch in Abu Dhabi with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al 
Nahyan, the State Department said Wednesday.

   Rubio is scheduled to travel next to Kuwait and then Bahrain for meetings 
with their leaders later Wednesday and Thursday.