Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, has rejected reports claiming that Tehran has agreed to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency access to the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, stating that inspectors will not be permitted to visit nuclear sites damaged in recent attacks. Speaking in a televised interview, Qalibaf said Parliament had passed legislation, which has also been endorsed by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, prohibiting access to bombed and damaged nuclear facilities. “Under this law, no access will be granted under any circumstances to sites that have been bombed and sustained damage,” he said. Qalibaf added that IAEA inspectors currently have access only to two nuclear facilities: the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor. His remarks came after Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, told a news conference in Japan on Friday that “an agreement exists, and for its implementation the Agency must be granted access to conduct inspections.” Grossi did not specify which nuclear facilities he was referring to. Qalibaf also claimed that during a visit to Switzerland, he finalized the necessary OFAC authorization and documentation for the release of $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets, in the presence of JD Vance and a senior official from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
