Shafaq News- Tokyo

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said on Friday that reducing Iran's stockpile of nuclear material or transferring it abroad remains a viable option while Washington and Tehran pursue a comprehensive agreement.

Speaking to reporters in Japan, Grossi expressed hope of visiting Iran soon, confirming that a mechanism is in place to verify the country's nuclear program. He also urged that nuclear facilities not be targeted and said Iran's nuclear material appears to have remained in place since the agency's last visit in 2025, calling on Tehran to demonstrate that it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon.

Iran's Foreign Ministry ruled out IAEA inspections of nuclear facilities damaged during the recent war earlier this week, with spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei noting no special arrangements had been made to examine the affected sites. He maintained that Tehran remains committed to its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said IAEA personnel would deploy “at the appropriate time” while reaffirming Washington's commitment to reaching a final accord with Tehran.

The first round of US-Iran negotiations concluded on Sunday at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock. Iran's delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, met a US team headed by Vice President JD Vance, with Qatar and Pakistan acting as mediators. Vance called the talks “a very, very good day,” saying Tehran had agreed to admit international nuclear monitors as a first step toward permanently denuclearizing the country.

Tehran, however, rejected that account, insisting the negotiations did not cover nuclear issues and that no commitments on international monitoring were made.