According to U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Iran has agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back into the country during peace negotiations held in Switzerland. Speaking to journalists on Monday, Vance asserted that “we have made great progress” during the nuclear talks.
The return of the inspectors was described by Vance as a “major milestone” and the initial step toward “permanent denuclearization or the definitive end of a nuclear weapons program in Iran.” This optimistic assessment contrasts sharply with previous statements from Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, who had previously characterized the discussions on the Iranian nuclear program as a very brief, undetailed conversation.
Vance anticipates that the IAEA inspections-which were conducted under the former JCPOA agreement-will recommence this week. He listed four specific achievements stemming from the talks: the inspectors’ return, the creation of a mechanism to ensure the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the development of a “conflict prevention” mechanism aimed at a regional ceasefire in Lebanon, and the intensification of the process for future negotiations.
