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Iran has reportedly agreed to let inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) return to the country. This was announced by US Vice President JD Vance at the end of the first round of talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland, defining the opening “a milestone” towards a nuclear agreement. Tehran, at the moment, has not confirmed the American reconstruction, while on the hottest dossiers – sanctions, frozen assets and Strait of Hormuz – the two delegations offer partly divergent versions.
Vance’s announcement about inspectors
“The Iranians have agreed to invite inspectors again” from the IAEA, Vance told reporters at the Bürgenstock resort on Lake Lucerne. According to the vice president, this is “a first step towards the definitive cessation of the Iranian nuclear weapons program” and the basis for “a successful final agreement”. Vance added that coordination for a visit by inspectors could take place “this week, perhaps as early as today,” without specifying what level of access would be granted to the sites. Iran, which denies it intends to acquire nuclear weapons, has not yet commented on the announcement.
The Iranian position and the asset node
Version partially different from that of the head of Iranian diplomacy, Abbas Araghchi, who spoke of “important progress”. According to the minister, the agreement would provide for the lifting of the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, the release of part of the frozen Iranian funds, the suspension of sanctions on oil and petrochemical products and the launch of a reconstruction plan for the country, quantified by Tehran at around 300 billion dollars. Vance, however, denied that the assets have already been released: any funds released – he claimed – would be subject to US control and destined for civilian uses, such as the purchase of American agricultural products, and not for the financing of armed groups. On a concrete level, the US Treasury has meanwhile ordered a temporary suspension of sanctions on Iranian oil.
Hormuz, Lebanon and the anti-escalation mechanism
Among the points still open remains the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran had announced it wanted to close in recent days in response to Israeli raids in Lebanon. Vance indicated demining the passage as one of the issues to be resolved to guarantee maritime traffic, while the parties report having activated a communication channel – a “deconfliction mechanism” – to prevent new escalations. On Lebanon, the vice president claimed “good progress”, linking an easing of the crisis to the request that Iran “brake” Hezbollah.
From the war to the talks in Switzerland
The negotiations follow weeks of tension: after the Israeli-US bombing campaign against Iran and the subsequent, fragile truce, last week Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that paved the way for confrontation. A process of technical talks lasting approximately 60 days is now planned – with the mediation of, among others, Qatar and Pakistan – to reach a definitive agreement. IAEA inspectors, whose activity in Iran had been limited after the 2025 raids on nuclear sites, had not visited the country since last November; on June 10 the Agency’s board adopted a resolution to solicit Tehran’s cooperation.