- US, Iran clash over nuclear inspection agreement details.
- Trump insists Iran committed to extensive IAEA nuclear oversight.
- Iran denies missile capabilities are part of any US agreement.
- Official MoU focuses on nuclear issues, not missile programs.
A fresh disagreement has emerged between the United States and Iran over the implementation of their recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU), with US President Donald Trump insisting that Tehran has agreed to extensive nuclear inspections while Iranian leaders deny any such arrangements have been finalised.
Speaking to reporters after arriving in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Trump rejected Iran’s claim that no visit by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had been scheduled. The US president maintained that Tehran had already committed to granting access to the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
“They’re wrong, they’re wrong, they know they’re wrong,” Trump said when asked about the Iranian denial, as per reports. He further asserted, “They told us inside, and we have it down 100%. And if they were right, I’d cancel the meetings right now.”
Trump Stands Firm On Inspection Claim
The dispute surfaced hours after Trump publicly stated that Iran had accepted a long-term framework for nuclear monitoring. While he did not provide details on when inspectors would arrive, he indicated that the process would move forward in due course.
Pressed by reporters on the timeline for inspections, Trump declined to offer specifics, saying inspectors would enter Iran “at the appropriate time” and stressing that “there is no rush.”
Earlier in the day, the president used his Truth Social platform to declare that Tehran had agreed to what he described as the highest level of nuclear oversight.
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Iran Rejects Assertions Beyond Nuclear Commitments
Iranian officials quickly challenged Trump’s remarks, particularly suggestions that broader security issues were part of the agreement.
Speaking during a visit to Islamabad, President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasised that Iran’s missile capabilities were not included in discussions with Washington and would remain outside the scope of future negotiations.
Defending Tehran’s missile arsenal, Pezeshkian added, “If we did not have the missiles we use for our defense, Israel and the United States would have devastated Iran.”
MoU Focuses On Nuclear Commitments
The official text of the agreement, published last week, primarily addresses nuclear issues and regional economic concerns. It includes provisions related to reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, easing certain financial restrictions, and establishing a framework for future nuclear discussions.
Notably, the document contains no references to Iran’s missile program. Instead, it focuses on Tehran’s commitment not to “procure or develop nuclear weapons,” leaving other defense matters outside the agreement.
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Trump Highlights Iran’s Economic Challenges
Amid the ongoing debate, Trump also sought to portray Iran as being under significant economic strain. The US president argued that sanctions and international pressure had placed Tehran in a difficult position.
Highlighting economic difficulties facing the country, Trump added, “They have a hunger problem. They have a food problem. They have a medicine problem. Their inflation is at 300%. They have a lot of problems.”
