President Trump insisted Tuesday that Iran had “fully and completely” agreed to allow inspections of its nuclear sites as part of war-ending negotiations, even as Tehran’s government flatly denied any such commitment.
Trump posted the assertion on Truth Social Tuesday morning, responding directly to a statement from Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, who said his country had made “no plans” to welcome International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to nuclear facilities bombed by the U.S. and Israel last year.
“If they did not agree to this, there would be no further negotiations!” Trump posted.
Vice President J.D. Vance said Monday that Iran accepted the inspection demand during the first round of talks held in Switzerland, where both sides are holding 60 days of negotiations aimed at a final deal to end the U.S.-Iran conflict and prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The U.S. and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on Feb. 28, targeting its nuclear program and cutting off support for proxy forces across the Middle East. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz, triggering energy disruptions and higher oil prices worldwide.
Both sides signed a memorandum of understanding last week to halt hostilities and begin the negotiation period.
Trump said Tuesday he would not order a naval blockade of Iranian ports, citing Iran’s “concession” on inspections, but said American ships would remain in the region should the blockade need to be reimposed.
The president also said Iran’s frozen assets would be moved to escrow and used to purchase American corn, wheat, and soybeans, framing the step as a humanitarian measure.
“These are things that are desperately needed by Iran,” Trump wrote. “This is a humanitarian crisis, and I feel it is necessary to help, NOW, before it is too late. Talks are going well!”
Iran denied that claim as well. Baghaei said his country had no current demand for American agricultural goods.
“It is interesting that the philosophy and goal of the war, which was the destruction of the Iranian civilization and the collapse of Iran, has become enriching American farmers,” Baghaei said.
Critics of the ceasefire arrangement have warned that Tehran will use the 60-day window to delay and avoid binding commitments. The Trump administration says the deal is performance-based: Iran receives no benefits until it makes verifiable concessions on its nuclear program.
The public back-and-forth comes as Israel continued limited military operations in southern Lebanon on Tuesday. The Israeli Defense Forces reported it opened fire on Hezbollah fighters who crossed into a buffer zone while posing as civilians, marking the second such incident of the day.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said his government would accept “nothing less” than a full Israeli military withdrawal from the south of the country, a position that strains the broader regional ceasefire envisioned under last week’s memorandum.
