Parliament security committee member says IAEA inspectors have access to the Bushehr plant but not to Fordow or Natanz

Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said on Thursday, 8 Mordad 1405 (30 July 2026) that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency are present in Iran and have access to the Bushehr nuclear power plant, because the plant is safeguarded and part of it is covered by its relationship with the agency. He said the agency exercises general oversight of the plant. The remarks were published at 1:24pm Tehran time.

He added that inspectors will not be allowed into sites that were struck or damaged, such as Fordow and Natanz, and that in some cases a physical presence is not required because monitoring is carried out online.

Bakhshayesh Ardestani noted that under an act of parliament, cooperation between the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran and the agency is restricted unless the Supreme National Security Council approves it, so requests are reviewed case by case. The issue matters for markets because the trajectory of the nuclear file and sanctions has been one of the main drivers of Iran's currency and gold prices in recent months.