Iran to allow UN inspectors access to nuclear sites, US envoy says

WASHINGTON: US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday that Iran will allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to access its nuclear sites and begin identifying locations of enriched material, according to a private briefing to US lawmakers reported by the Associated Press.

The disclosure came the same day Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba endorsed direct negotiations with the United States in his first public response to the landmark agreement between the two countries.

According to sources familiar with the closed-door congressional briefing, Witkoff told lawmakers that a separate letter to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi could pave the way for US nuclear experts to participate in oversight missions under a UN framework.

If confirmed, the inclusion of US personnel would be viewed in Washington as a significant development in the verification process.

However, observers said the move could trigger political backlash in Tehran unless framed strictly as a technical extension of a multilateral IAEA mission.

Sanctions relief and diplomatic friction

The broad contours of the deal call for Tehran to reduce its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and open the Strait of Hormuz without tolls for two months.

In return, the US would ease sanctions on Iran, allowing it to sell oil more freely, in what would mark a significant shift in enforcement policy. The agreement triggers a 60-day negotiating window for a final settlement on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance criticised Israeli officials for opposing the pact, saying at a White House briefing that Trump is “the only head of state in the world who is sympathetic to Israel at this moment in time.”

Vance said he was unsure when he would travel to Switzerland for a formal signing ceremony, adding that timing depends in part on when Iranian representatives arrive.