Iran rejects IAEA access to bombed nuclear sites after Doha talks

American and Iranian negotiators wrapped up a round of indirect technical talks in Doha on Wednesday, with Qatar's foreign ministry reporting "positive progress" on implementing the memorandum of understanding that halted hostilities in June — even as Iran's top negotiator flatly rejected any expansion of international nuclear inspections.

Talks End With Communication Channel, Working Groups

The indirect discussions, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, focused on the Strait of Hormuz and the unfreezing of Iranian assets, two pillars of the MOU signed on June 17. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi announced the creation of working groups to implement the agreement and said a communication channel would be established to report violations. Vice President JD Vance said the meetings were "progressing well" and indicated nuclear discussions would commence shortly.reuters+4

However, Reuters Thomson Reuters Corporation ↗ 1.63% reported that the talks showed "no sign they had made headway toward a lasting peace," with sources saying the nuclear program did not come up in these technical sessions. Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Qatar's prime minister earlier in the week but did not participate in the Wednesday talks directly.theglobepost+2

Qalibaf Draws Red Line on IAEA Access

Hours after the Doha session concluded, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf issued a stark rebuke of reports suggesting expanded IAEA access. "Under this law, absolutely no access is given to sites that have been bombed and damaged," Qalibaf said in televised remarks, according to Iran's Mehr News Agency. He specified that inspectors are permitted only at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor — a position enshrined in both parliamentary law and a Supreme National Security Council resolution.middleeastmonitor+1

Strait of Hormuz Remains a War Zone for Shipping

The fragility of the broader agreement was underscored by continued maritime tensions. On June 27, the U.S. military struck multiple targets in Iran after an Iranian drone hit the Panama-flagged tanker Kiku near the Strait of Hormuz. The International Transport Workers' Federation and the Joint Negotiating Group agreed on July 1 to maintain the strait's designation as a "Warlike Operations Area" through at least July 9, a classification first applied in March after the war began.informare+4

More than 11,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf after the UN's International Maritime Organization paused evacuation operations following the June 25 attack. The designation entitles crew members to hazard pay and the right to refuse transit — a practical barrier to reopening the waterway even as diplomats claim progress at the negotiating table.cnn+1