IAEA can visit for talks, but won’t have access to nuclear sites, Iran says

The head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, Ebrahim Azizi, says a visiting delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency will only be there for talks and will not be able to inspect nuclear facilities.

“Under no circumstances will physical access to Iran’s nuclear facilities be granted, and no inspections by this delegation or any other foreign entity will be permitted at the country’s nuclear sites,” the lawmaker says, according to the Tasnim news agency.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei says the IAEA’s deputy chief is expected in Iran “in less than 10 days.”

He also says any nuclear talks with the US will involve demands that Washington pay for damage it caused to Iranian nuclear facilities in strikes it carried out alongside Israel in June.

“In any potential negotiation… the issue of holding the United States accountable and demanding compensation for committing military aggression against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities will be one of the topics on the agenda,” Baqaei tells a press briefing.

He also rules out direct talks with the US.

Tehran suspended cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog and demanded guarantees against military action before resuming any negotiations after they were derailed by the 12-day June war.

Washington has dismissed Tehran’s call for compensation as “ridiculous.”