Tehran has formally barred International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from accessing nuclear facilities damaged during recent US and Israeli strikes, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday, directly contradicting claims by US Vice-President JD Vance that inspections could begin “as soon as this week.” Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated there was “no plan” to allow IAEA visits to any sites struck during the conflict, including the Fordow uranium enrichment plant and the Natanz fuel enrichment complex. “These facilities remain under Iranian sovereignty and will not be opened to foreign inspectors,” Baghaei said, according to multiple regional outlets .

The announcement came as Iran’s President arrived in Islamabad for talks with Pakistani officials, amid reports that Washington and Tehran had agreed to unlock $12 billion in frozen funds as part of indirect negotiations hosted in Switzerland. However, Baghaei explicitly ruled out any linkage between sanctions relief and IAEA access, saying Tehran would not negotiate its missile programme or permit inspections of damaged nuclear infrastructure. “Iran’s missile capabilities were never on the table in talks with the United States,” he told reporters, adding that the Islamic Republic would maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz .

The refusal to allow IAEA inspectors follows weeks of escalating strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, including a May 2026 attack on the Isfahan uranium conversion facility and repeated Israeli raids on air-defence systems near Natanz. The IAEA had previously urged Iran to permit “urgent, technically focused” visits to assess safety and verify the absence of undeclared activities at damaged plants. On Tuesday, the agency reiterated its call for “immediate, unconditional access,” warning that continued obstruction risked further diplomatic isolation .

Western diplomats in Vienna described the Iranian move as a deliberate escalation, noting that it coincided with renewed criticism from former US President Donald Trump of European NATO allies for failing to support Washington’s military posture against Tehran. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington on Wednesday, where the standoff over inspections is expected to dominate discussions. Meanwhile, Iranian officials have asserted control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil chokepoint, raising concerns about further regional disruption .

With no immediate pathway to renewed inspections, the IAEA Board of Governors is poised to convene an emergency session later this week to consider further measures, including a possible referral to the UN Security Council.

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