Military Officials Warn Again Against Visits to Iran's Military Sites

One day after the spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated and then denied the prohibition of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from visiting Iran's military sites, the spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces reiterated this position, declaring that Tehran "will not allow access to its military facilities under any circumstances." According to Tasnim News Agency, Masoud Jazayeri, spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces, on Friday, July 19, referred to the "excessive demands of arrogant powers" and added: "We tell both negotiating parties not to enter this realm, as access to military sites will never be granted under any circumstances." He emphasized that the statement by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic regarding the prohibition of inspections and "any kind" of access to Iran's military sites is "definitive, and foreigners will never achieve this demand." The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces clarified: "The deterrent capability of Iran's defense forces is in an active and deterrent state." A day prior to Jazayeri's remarks, Iranian media quoted Ramadan Sharif, spokesperson for the IRGC, stating that this body would "under no circumstances" allow IAEA inspectors to inspect "military sites." However, shortly after, the IRGC's news agency denied the reports and announced that the spokesperson had made "no comments" on this matter. The denial of the IRGC spokesperson's statements comes despite the fact that his remarks were first published by the "Defa Press" news agency, affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation and Publication of the Sacred Defense Works, which is part of the Iranian Armed Forces. On the other hand, the positioning of these military commanders coincides with the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group, while Iranian officials and the IAEA have recently spoken of progress in their cooperation and reaching an understanding to resolve remaining disputes. The "potential military dimensions" of Iran's nuclear program have long been an unresolved issue between Iran and the IAEA. The agency seeks to inspect "suspicious" military sites, but Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, has stated that he will not allow visits to these sites or interviews with Iran's nuclear scientists. Meanwhile, after IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano's visit to Tehran to meet with President Hassan Rouhani and Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, on Thursday, July 11, a five-member IAEA delegation also traveled to Tehran on Tuesday. Following this delegation's visit, the IAEA announced on Wednesday that senior agency officials had made "further progress" in their negotiations in Tehran, but resolving remaining issues requires more work. In this context, Abbas Araghchi, a senior member of Iran's nuclear negotiation team, also expressed hope for progress in resolving this issue after Amano's visit to Tehran, emphasizing Iran's readiness to cooperate with the IAEA regarding the potential military dimensions of its nuclear program.