US-Iran peace accord allows IAEA access to nuclear sites, tensions rise after ship attack near Oman

The interim peace agreement between the United States and Iran will allow inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog to access Iranian facilities, the agency’s chief Rafael Grossi said on Friday.

The statement from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) came after Tehran suggested that some key nuclear sites would remain inaccessible until a final agreement with Washington is reached and sanctions against Iran are lifted.

“There is an agreement and to comply with that agreement, the IAEA will have to have access and inspect,” Grossi said during a news conference in Japan. “We hope to be there soon.”

Drone strike reported on vessel near Oman

Meanwhile, a vessel was struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman after several tankers passed through a UN-backed route on Thursday, according to the British military.

The incident has raised fresh concerns over maritime security in the region. The head of the International Maritime Organization said plans to move stranded ships out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz would remain suspended until safety assurances for vessels and the evacuation route are confirmed.

US accuses Iran of drone attack

The reported strike came hours after Iran warned vessels against using the route through the strait without Tehran’s approval.

The attacked vessel was not part of the planned evacuation operation, said Arsenio Dominguez, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization.

A US official told The Associated Press that the merchant vessel Ever Lovely was hit by an Iranian drone operated by Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the incident involved a drone launched by the Revolutionary Guard.

IAEA seeks early access under interim deal

Grossi reiterated that the nuclear watchdog would need access to Iranian sites to verify compliance with the interim US-Iran agreement.

The development comes as diplomatic efforts continue between Washington and Tehran, with nuclear inspections, sanctions relief and security guarantees remaining key issues in negotiations.