Iran has declined to accept additional nuclear commitments, rebuffing a call from Vice President JD Vance for the return of international inspectors, state media reported on Wednesday. The decision underscores deepening deadlock in diplomatic efforts to constrain Tehran’s atomic programme.
Vance, speaking in Washington on Tuesday, urged Iran to readmit inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and abide by the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) framework. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani dismissed the appeal, stating Tehran would not negotiate under “pressure or sanctions”.
The refusal comes as IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium now exceeds JCPOA limits by more than 20-fold. The agency’s latest quarterly report, seen by Reuters last week, indicated that Iran continues to enrich uranium to up to 60% purity, close to weapons-grade level.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, but Western governments view the enrichment activity as a potential cover for developing atomic weapons. The JCPOA, which curbed Iran’s enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief, collapsed after the US withdrew in 2018 under President Donald Trump. Tehran has since breached many of the deal’s core restrictions.
Vice President Vance’s intervention marked a rare overture from the Trump administration, which has pursued a policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran. Analysts interpret his statement as an attempt to reset the US position without dismantling existing sanctions. “The White House appears to want a new negotiating track without losing leverage,” said Mark Fitzpatrick, a former State Department official now at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Iran’s rejection aligns with its longstanding position that any return to JCPOA compliance must be preceded by full US sanctions relief. The regime of President Ebrahim Raisi has also deepened military ties with Russia and expanded its drone programme, which Western powers say could alter regional stability.
The standoff complicates efforts by European signatories of the JCPOA to salvage parts of the agreement. Britain, France, and Germany have conducted parallel diplomacy with Iran, but with limited success. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed disappointment at Tehran’s stance, warning that continued enrichment could trigger further UN Security Council action.
The IAEA has already censured Iran for failing to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites. A confidential report to member states this month noted that “no progress” had been made in resolving outstanding safeguards issues.
Vance’s call for inspector return echoes a 2019 IAEA request, which Iran ignored. Tehran maintains that it has allowed IAEA access commensurate with international law, but has withdrawn accreditation for several experienced inspectors since 2020.
Iran’s Nuclear Chief Mohammad Eslami stated that the agency’s monitoring activities are “within existing safeguards agreements” and that new demands are unwarranted. He warned that any additional inspection obligations would provoke reciprocal measures.
Washington and its allies now face a strategic dilemma: how to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon while avoiding a full-scale military confrontation. Options on the table include snapback sanctions through the UN Security Council, which expire in October 2025, or intensified covert action.
The European Institute for Strategic Studies notes that Iran’s uranium stockpile could produce a nuclear bomb within weeks if weaponization were ordered. The US intelligence community remains divided on whether Tehran has made the political decision to weaponize.
Diplomatic sources in Vienna indicate that IAEA Director General Grossi may seek a direct meeting with Iranian leaders later this month, though Iran’s willingness to accept remains unclear.
