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The team of IAEA inspectors has returned to Iran, marking the first visit since recent Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this year, according to Rafael Grossi. He announced that the UN nuclear watchdog plans to “resume” its activities in the country and is currently discussing practical steps to facilitate this restart.
Grossi conveyed to Fox News that the initial team of inspectors has re-entered Iran and efforts are underway to restart inspections, noting that Iran has various nuclear facilities affected differently—some targeted in attacks, others not. Discussions are ongoing to determine the feasible methods to resume IAEA operations effectively.
This development coincides with Iran engaging in talks with Britain, France, and Germany in Geneva on Tuesday. Iran aims to prevent a potential reimposition of sanctions under the stalled 2015 nuclear deal, with European nations warning they might activate the deal’s “snapback” mechanism by the end of August.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi emphasized the importance of diplomacy, urging the European countries to choose constructive dialogue and allow space for negotiations. Since the June conflict—an Israeli surprise attack that disrupted Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the U.S.—relations between Iran and the IAEA have become strained. Tehran blames the UN agency for some of the damage to its nuclear sites, while Israel insists its strikes aimed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—a claim Iran consistently denies.
The 2015 nuclear agreement unraveled in 2018 when the Trump administration withdrew unilaterally and imposed sanctions. The current threat from European parties involves triggering the agreement’s snapback provisions, which would restore comprehensive UN sanctions unless Iran agrees to limit uranium enrichment and cooperate fully with IAEA inspectors.
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