Washington DC: US President Donald Trump insisted in a series of early morning social media posts on Tuesday that Iran has “fully and completely” agreed to long-term nuclear inspections. The statements directly contradict a flurry of denials from Tehran, where officials have adamantly rejected making any new commitments regarding international oversight of its atomic program.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, President Trump claimed that Tehran conceded to the “highest level nuclear inspections long into the future” during recent diplomatic engagements in Switzerland. He declared that the concession would guarantee “nuclear honesty” and asserted that further bilateral negotiations would have been entirely terminated had Iran not capitulated on the issue. The White House had previously stated that the initial framework agreement would allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to return to Iranian nuclear facilities as early as this week. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei quickly dismissed the American narrative during a press briefing in Tehran, stating explicitly that there are absolutely no scheduled meetings with the IAEA nor any active plans to permit foreign inspectors back into sensitive enrichment sites that were severely damaged during military strikes last year.
The political dispute over nuclear verification unfolds against a backdrop of tentative maritime stabilization in the Persian Gulf. President Trump confirmed that while he has authorized the temporary lifting of the aggressive US military naval blockade on Iranian ports to let commercial shipping resume, American warships will remain deployed in strategic positions around the area. He warned that the naval assets are staying fully operational to ensure the military can immediately reinstate a total economic blockade if Tehran fails to comply with the broader terms of the 14-point memorandum of understanding negotiated via Pakistani intermediaries.
Despite the friction over the terms of the accord, commercial activity in the crucial global energy corridor has witnessed a significant spike. Maritime tracking data indicated that Monday marked the busiest day for commercial transits through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of hostilities four months ago, with approximately 19 million barrels of oil moving out of the Gulf. While current shipping volume remains at roughly one-third of pre-war thresholds, the surge offers vital relief to a battered global energy market. Nevertheless, the sustainability of the diplomatic breakthrough remains highly precarious, with Iranian Chief Negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf declaring that the administration of the vital waterway will remain strictly under Iranian jurisdiction and will never return to pre-war operational protocols.
