Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has indicated that his country would permit United Nations nuclear inspectors to enter Iran, contingent on reaching agreements during ongoing negotiations. Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran has no ambition to acquire nuclear weapons, citing religious prohibitions against their development.
In an interview with CBS News, Pezeshkian stated, “If they wish to come in and have inspections, we can reach accords and agreements vis-a-vis that specific topic within the negotiations.” He also reiterated that developing nuclear weapons is forbidden in Islam.
This development follows a proposal by Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, conveyed through intermediaries to Washington, outlining a seven-day plan to end regional conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and restart negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. The U.S. has yet to respond to this proposal, which was announced during the United Nations General Assembly. The U.S. has previously insisted that Iran should not control waterways entering the Strait of Hormuz or charge tolls for passage.
President Pezeshkian also commented on the "atmosphere of distrust" between Iran and the U.S., suggesting that increased sanctions and threats from the U.S. make trust difficult. He referenced a collapsed ceasefire agreement from the summer, blaming U.S. attacks for derailing dialogue after Iran targeted commercial shipping vessels. Iran has enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels, though it denies seeking a nuclear weapon.