Iran Sends Conflicting Messages about Nuke Site Inspections

One of Iran’s lead negotiators in the ongoing P5+1 nuclear talks stated over the weekend that Iran was willing to allow for “managed access” to its nuclear sites as part of a final agreement with world powers.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state television on Sunday, “Iran has agreed to grant managed access to military sites.”

Iranian Parliamentarian Ahmad Shoohani added that UN inspectors will be watched closely, stating, “Managed access will be in a shape where UN inspectors will have the possibility of taking environmental samples from the vicinity of military sites.”

“In his report, Mr. Araghchi said that inspections of military sites have been accepted but the inspections are regulated and will be seriously managed,” Parliament member Javad Karimi-Ghodoussi told Fars news agency.

But the Tehran Times, an outlet of the Iranian regime, reported on Tuesday that Iranian officials denied accepting the possibility of inspections of its military and nuclear facilities.

In mid-May, a high-ranking Iranian cleric stated that Tehran would “never allow” inspections of its nuclear facilities. Ayatollah Ali Movahedi Kermani told a crowd during Friday prayers, “We tell Mr. Amano (IAEA director general), the westerners, and the U.S. that they should bury their dreams of recognition of Israel and also the inclusion to visit Iran’s military sites within the framework of nuclear agreement.”

Ultimately, the decision for whether Tehran will or will not allow nuclear inspections as part of a final agreement rests in the hands of Iranian dictator Ali Khamenei. Last week, it appeared as if Khamenei ruled out any possibility of international inspections as part of a nuclear deal: “Regarding inspections, we have said that we will not let foreigners inspect any military center,” Khamenei had said.

Iran and the P5+1 world powers (U.S., UK, France, Germany, Russia, and China) have until a self-imposed June 30 deadline to reach a final agreement on the status of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.