The director general of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), Rafael Grossi, stated this Friday (June 26, 2026) that a possible agreement between Iran and the United States to end the conflict must include a reinforced regime of inspections over the Iranian nuclear program. According to him, it will be necessary to adopt a “highly sophisticated” inspection system to ensure that the country does not develop atomic weapons. The statement was made during a press conference in Japan.
The speech takes place during negotiations between Washington and Tehran for a ,which includes the future of Iran’s nuclear program. Since the preliminary understanding between the two countries, disagreements persist between the United States, Iran and the IAEA itself over the format of inspections.
Grossi said that although the Iranian government maintains that it does not intend to produce nuclear weapons, political statements alone will not be enough. According to him, a rigorous verification system will need to be implemented quickly to ensure transparency.
The head of the agency also said that talks with Iran are at an early stage, mainly regarding the fate of enriched uranium reserves. Before the attacks carried out by Israel and the United States, in June 2025, the IAEA estimated that the country had around 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, a level close to that needed for military use.
After the bombings, however, the situation of this material remains uncertain, as Iran does not authorize inspections at the affected sites.
Among the alternatives discussed in the negotiations are reducing the level of uranium enrichment or removing the country’s stock. Grossi stated that there are different technical solutions to treat the material.
The Iranian government denies seeking nuclear weapons and maintains that its program has an exclusively civilian purpose.
