After nine hours of negotiations in Lucerne, Switzerland, Vice President JD Vance announced that Iran has agreed to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to return to the country. Vance described this as a significant step towards potentially denuclearizing Iran. He stated, "That is a major milestone for the American people and the first step in permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran." Vance indicated that IAEA inspectors could be in Iran as soon as today.
In contrast, Iranian officials denied agreeing to allow UN inspectors access to nuclear sites that had been bombed by the US. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated, "We did not have a meeting with IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi in Switzerland, nor do we plan to allow its inspectors to visit nuclear facilities damaged in the recent conflicts." He criticized Vance's remarks as a "self-congratulatory narrative."
Veteran observers noted that while the IAEA has had inspectors in Iran for years, they have not been granted the necessary access to verify Iran's nuclear intentions. Retired Admiral James Stavridis commented on CNN that while the return of inspectors is positive, it does not resolve the significant challenges that remain regarding the nuclear accord. Similarly, Rep. Josh Gottheimer expressed skepticism about Iran's reliability, referencing past commitments made under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that Iran did not fulfill.
Additionally, President Donald Trump stated that any funds released to Iran would be used to purchase food from American farmers, a claim that Rep. Adam Smith questioned, suggesting it was unlikely that Iran would exclusively buy from US sources. Smith also noted that this situation mirrors the previous JCPOA agreement, which Trump had criticized.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit the region to reassure Gulf allies about the ongoing negotiations with Iran. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has requested $80 billion from Congress to cover costs associated with the Iran war and other expenses, highlighting the ongoing financial implications of US involvement in the region.