Iran may let US inspectors visit its nuclear facilities

TEHRAN, May 28 (MNA) – The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) says that Iran may consider allowing American inspectors to visit Iran’s nuclear facilities if an agreement is reached between Tehran and Washington.

Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the deputy director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit the remaining locations as agreed in the March 2023 joint statement.

“We hope the agency will put an end to the influence of the Zionist regime and resume its professional conduct. With the arrangements made, and God willing, we can take a step toward resolving the two remaining sites — a promise Mr. Grossi has made,” Eslami said, referring to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. He voiced optimism that field inspections and dialogue would yield progress.

Eslami described Iran’s nuclear activities as completely peaceful and under continuous IAEA supervision, adding, “There has never been any lack of transparency in Iran’s nuclear history. The Zionist regime has tried to spread false claims and baseless accusations to create distractions and promote its repetitive narrative.”

He continued, “We hope the agency maintains its independence and moves away from the abnormal approaches it has taken in recent years, so we can put an end to these issues.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Eslami said that Iran’s stance on uranium enrichment is “completely legal and based on rights.”

“Enrichment is fundamental to our nuclear industry — just like having a power grid without a power plant is meaningless. Enrichment is the generator that fuels nuclear energy. Denying Iran enrichment is like denying it a nuclear industry altogether,” he stated, emphasizing that this position has been clearly communicated to negotiating parties both verbally and in writing.

Reiterating that Iran’s enrichment is not for weapons, he said, “We are committed to our declared peaceful path. We have no hidden agendas beyond what we’ve openly stated.”

Regarding a nuclear consortium, Eslami clarified, “There has been no official proposal for us to consider.”

Asked whether American inspectors could be allowed to visit Iran’s nuclear facilities in the event of an agreement, he said, “If an agreement is reached, we will reconsider the matter.”