Iran says missile program not part of US talks in Switzerland, rules out IAEA inspections of bombed nuclear sites

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that Tehran’s missile capabilities have not been discussed in negotiations with the US in Switzerland and ruled out allowing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to visit nuclear facilities targeted during the US-Israeli war against Iran, Anadolu reports.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran’s missile program was never included in the talks with Washington.

“Iran’s missile capabilities were not part of the negotiations with the United States,” Baqaei said during a press briefing, according to Iranian media.

He also said Tehran does not intend to allow IAEA inspectors access to nuclear facilities attacked by the US and Israel.

“We do not intend to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to visit the nuclear sites targeted during the conflict,” he said.

Baqaei further denied reports of contacts with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Switzerland.

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“We have not held any meeting with the IAEA director general in Switzerland, nor are there any plans for inspections of our nuclear facilities that were bombed,” he said.

The spokesman also stressed that Iran would face no restrictions on the use of funds released under ongoing understandings with Washington.

“We are free to use our frozen assets that will be released, and there are no restrictions on them,” Baqaei said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, said that his government’s priority remains protecting the rights of the Iranian people and promoting regional peace and security, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.

“We seek the full implementation of the signed provisions (with the US) within the framework of international law and the rights of the Iranian people,” Pezeshkian said.

“If this is achieved, many of the region’s problems will be reduced and aggressors will be restrained,” he added.

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