Trump tells Witkoff and other officials that Iran would invite IAEA to inspect its nuclear sites

A day after the United States signed a Memorandum of Peace with Iran, President Donald Trump told his special envoy to  West Asia, Steve Witkoff, along with other lawmakers, that Tehran will invite the UN watchdog agency to inspect its nuclear sites.

Trump maintained that the West Asian nation would be working closely with the international agency on identifying and uncovering the locations of Tehran’s enriched material, which is believed to be buried under rubble. Trump made the remarks at a private briefing, which was described by two sources to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the White House did not directly respond to the questions about the invitation but said that the agreement requires Iran to “commit to renounce their nuclear ambitions in writing,” said White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales. The International Atomic Energy Agency is also yet to comment on the matter.

Despite Trump's message to Witkoff, he still told congressional leadership and members of national security-related committees that the agreement that the US struck with Iran did not include any side deals, but a side letter was drafted between Tehran and the IAEA extending the invitation.

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The play of events behind the scenes

Trump's special envoy also disclosed the existence of the letter and invitation in the briefing, according to the people. Sources noted that Witkoff said the letter to IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi would enable him to bring US nuclear inspectors to Tehran.

It is pertinent to note that the agreement signed between Iran and the United States stated that Tehran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium must at minimum be diluted under international supervision. It also says that Iran shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons — a commitment it has made previously.

Meanwhile, the US on Thursday announced that it is lifting its blockade of Iranian ports and oil tankers as they began freely moving through the Strait of Hormuz after months of being unable to use the critical channel, as the tentative agreement to end the war took effect.

However, Vice President JD Vance suggested that he may postpone a trip to Switzerland that had been planned for Friday and included a ceremonial signing of the deal. This leaves the timeline of the agreement to be fully functional in uncertainty.

All this is unfolding as Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei endorsed direct negotiations with the US in a statement read by state media. “The face-to-face negotiations that will be held in the future will not mean accepting the enemy’s opinion,” he said.

It is pertinent to note that this was Khamenei’s first reaction to the agreement, and it indicated a shift in Iran’s approach. Hard-liners, especially Khamenei’s father, the previous supreme leader, have long opposed direct talks, especially after the U.S. pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

It is also important to point out that the Iranian supreme leader has not been seen in public since he was wounded in a strike at the start of the war.

With inputs from The Associated Press.