Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Friday that the interim agreement between the United States and Iran includes granting IAEA inspectors access to Iranian nuclear sites, after Tehran had indicated that key sites would remain off-limits until a final agreement with Washington was reached and sanctions were lifted.
Speaking at a press conference in Japan, Grossi said: "There is an agreement, and in order to comply with it, the Agency must be able to access and inspect the nuclear sites... We hope to be there soon."
Grossi stressed the need for a "very in-depth" verification regime in Iran following the war in the Middle East, to ensure that it does not develop nuclear weapons.
Speaking to journalists in Japan, Grossi said: "I believe the goal of the (Iranian-American) agreement is to ensure that nuclear weapons are not developed in Iran. The Iranian government has clearly declared that it does not intend to do so."
He added: "But intentions are of course not enough. We must adopt a very in-depth verification regime... once that becomes possible."
He noted that the watchdog body had recently begun talks with Iran following the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding with the United States, to discuss the fate of its enriched uranium stockpile.
"Preliminary talks have taken place... and we expect this work to accelerate soon," he said.
Iran has long denied seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon, insisting that its nuclear programme is intended for civilian purposes.
Iran had suspended visits by IAEA inspectors to its nuclear facilities in July, following a 12-day war.