Disagreement over nuclear inspections clouds U.S.-Iran teams work to finalize a war-ending deal

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ISLAMABAD — The U.S. and Iran were in dispute Tuesday over whether Tehran had agreed to allow UN inspectors to view bombed Iranian nuclear sites, as officials mediated talks on a permanent end to their war and violence broke out again in Lebanon.

The differing accounts came as Iran’s president met with Pakistani media officials, holding negotiations and while technical teams were working on details following talks in Switzerland between the U.S. and Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters in Tehran that UN inspectors were not scheduled to examine the nuclear sites bombed by the U.S. last year, refuting comments made a day earlier by U.S. Vice-President JD Vance. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections long into the future, saying that without this concession “there would be no further negotiations!”

The International Atomic Energy Agency has not responded to requests for comment over its possible role. It has been in and out of Iran since Israel’s 12-day war in 2025, but has not been granted access to bombed enrichment sites targeted by the U.S.

The U.S. said negotiators have discussed “mechanisms” to ensure that the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for oil transit that Iran effectively blocked during the war, remains open. Ship traffic is increasing but questions remain about who controls the strait.

Data and analytics company Kpler confirmed 39 ships crossed through the strait Monday, after about 92 crossings between Friday and Sunday. Prior to the war, roughly 100 ships a day made the journey.

Meanwhile, violence flared again in southern Lebanon as Israeli soldiers opened fire, killing two people. The reports of violence came after two days of calm following a ceasefire brokered on Saturday. Any renewal of heavy fighting could threaten the broader diplomatic talks, since Iran has demanded that a full truce in Lebanon be part of any comprehensive deal.

Iran’s president makes his first visit to Islamabad since the war started

Pezeshkian and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday discussed a range of issues, including regional peace and economic co-operation, according to a statement from the presidency in Islamabad.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also joined the delegation that arrived in Islamabad amid tight security.

It was the Iranian president’s first visit since the U.S. and Israel launched war on Iran on Feb. 28. Pezeshkian and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were to hold a joint news conference after the discussions.

In the initial talks, marking the start of a 60-day window to reach a permanent deal to end the war, Iran and the U.S. agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to address the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Ahead of his meetings in Pakistan, Pezeshkian cautioned that “the effectiveness of the talks depends on full commitment to the agreed obligations and their precise implementation.”

Iran says negotiations focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues and more

Iran suggested that the talks in Switzerland led to the creation of specific negotiation groups, including those focused on sanctions relief, nuclear issues, reconstruction, and monitoring, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

The report quoted Kazem Gharibabadi, a deputy foreign minister leading the technical talks, saying the countries also formed a contact mechanism over ships moving through Hormuz and the fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel occupies part of Lebanon and insists it must be able to attack militants launching attacks into northern Israel.

On Tuesday, Israeli forces opened fire and killed two men near the southern Lebanese town of Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported, saying the pair were next to a bulldozer clearing a road.

The Israeli military said troops fired at four Hezbollah members who were riding a bulldozer and a motorcycle and had entered a security zone and failed to stop despite warning shots.

No Israeli airstrikes or shelling have been reported since Sunday, a day after a ceasefire was reached, and Hezbollah also has not claimed any attacks in what has been the longest halt in the fighting since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war erupted on March 2.

Discrepancy on Iran’s use of unfrozen funds

Following the talks in Switzerland, Vance, who helped lead the negotiations, said if Iranian financial assets were unfrozen, they would be used to buy American-grown corn, wheat and soy.

Vance also said the U.S. and Qatar would have approval over the process. However, Iran has no current demand for U.S. crops and its foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday that Tehran’s decisions on what to import would be based on “prices and quality.”

“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.

Iran’s ambassador in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, questioned Vance’s contention that the U.S. and Qatar would approve how Iran uses unfrozen funds.

“Iran is the only country that decides what to do with those assets,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, two U.S. aircraft carriers were continuing to operate in the Middle East, the U.S. military’s Central Command said.

Netanyahu raises new questions over fragile Lebanon ceasefire

Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the “de-confliction cell” would include the Lebanese government and “ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon.” But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin said Monday that his military still has “full freedom of action” to thwart any threats.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory to the U.S.-Iran deal. Netanyahu has vowed to keep his forces in southern Lebanon until all threats to Israel are eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing.

When asked about Netanyahu’s comments, U.S. President Donald Trump said “we’re going to take a look at it,” adding that the situation would “get solved.”

The main highway leading south from Beirut was jammed Tuesday with people displaced from southern Lebanon returning to their homes. Among them was Hawraa Nour El-Din, from the village of Khirbet Selm.

“We don’t want the negotiations done by the government,” she said. “We want Iran to negotiate on our behalf, and we are returning victorious, whether everyone likes it or not.”

In Washington, the State Department said a new round of Israel-Lebanon talks began on Tuesday with both political and security issues on the agenda.

By Munir Ahmed, David Rising And Jon Gambrell

Rising reported from Bangkok and Gambrell from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Abby Sewell in Beirut, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran , Josh Boak and Matthew Lee in Washington and Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report.