Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeel Baghaee reiterated Tuesday there is no plan for IAEA inspectors to visit damaged nuclear facilities, directly contradicting U.S. claims. On Lebanon, he said the current ceasefire commitment stems from understandings with the Americans, and that Iran alone decides how to use unfrozen funds.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeel Baghaee clarified Tuesday afternoon that Tehran has no plan for IAEA inspectors to visit its civilian nuclear facilities damaged in an enemy attack, directly contradicting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's earlier announcement that Iran had accepted IAEA access, and President Trump's claim that Iran would use frozen funds for food purchases from American farmers. The development arrives after a morning of escalating denials: The Zioneer first reported at 10:51 Jerusalem that Iran had officially rejected the U.S. claims, and within minutes the spokesman expanded his statements to include both issues, by 11:08 Jerusalem also announcing a five-nation mechanism for Lebanon de-escalation involving Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, the U.S., and Lebanon.
Baghaee's remarks Tuesday afternoon are the latest in a thread that began with a single-source denial at 10:51 Jerusalem, then rapidly broadened across multiple versions as the spokesman addressed the Lebanon front and financial terms. The sequence represents the firmest Iranian rejection yet of U.S. negotiating claims, as The Zioneer reported the Trump administration's version early Tuesday at 07:28 Jerusalem. The Iranian position on IAEA access was first publicly stated Friday, Jun 19, when the Foreign Ministry said there was no plan for inspections and that access to some sites would depend on negotiations.
As The Zioneer has previously reported, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff told lawmakers Thursday night that Iran would allow IAEA access and enriched uranium extraction under an emerging deal, while Israeli and U.S. intelligence officials expressed skepticism about compliance. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister said Sunday, Jun 7, that Iranian assets are not war booty for Washington or a fund for allies, following reports that Tehran was using assets to compensate allies for war damages.
What remains open: All statements on the new development remain single-source — from the Iranian spokesman — with no independent confirmation of Tehran's internal instructions regarding IAEA inspection access or the operational status of the five-nation mechanism. It is also unverified whether the U.S. side acknowledges the mechanism as Baghaee described it.
7 developments
- DevelopingIranian spokesman contradicts Vance: no IAEA inspectors invited
- StrongIran warns US must enforce Lebanon ceasefire obligations from MoU
- StrongIran threatens indefinite Hormuz closure, blocks IAEA inspections as Israeli officials warn of shifting U.S. support
- StrongIran warns it will respond if Israel violates MoU by attacking Lebanon, Hezbollah
Source and signal
- Internal intake