U.S. and Iran at odds over nuclear inspections, Strait of Hormuz fees

By — Nick Schifrin Nick Schifrin By — Zeba Warsi Zeba Warsi Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-and-iran-at-odds-over-nuclear-inspections-strait-of-hormuz-fees Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Audio Iran and the U.S. are once again at odds, this time over nuclear inspections. The U.S. said that the UN nuclear watchdog will inspect Iran's facilities, but Iran says no deal is in place. It was just one of several disagreements since the weekend meetings in Switzerland between the Americans and Iranians, the first round of negotiations since a new ceasefire deal was struck. Nick Schifrin reports. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. Geoff Bennett: Welcome to the "News Hour." Iran and the U.S. are once again at odds today, this time over inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran says no deal is in place. Amna Nawaz: While, for their part, President Trump and his aid said again today that the U.N. nuclear watchdog will inspect Iran's facilities. It was just one of several disagreements since the weekend meetings in Switzerland between the Americans and Iranians, the first round of negotiations since a new cease-fire deal was struck last week. Nick Schifrin begins our coverage. Nick Schifrin: In the Strait of Hormuz today, a new plan to evacuate ships stranded by war. The U.N. and Iran say hundreds of boats, including tankers stuck in the world's most vital oil choke point, will soon have free passage. But Iran says the ships must register with the new Iranian insurance company, setting the stage for charging future fees in what Iran's chief negotiator called the new postwar order. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Chief Iranian Negotiator (through interpreter): Everyone should know that the administration of the strait will never return to the way it was before the war. Nick Schifrin: But that was just the first example today of the U.S. and Iran's public disagreements. Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State: No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. Nick Schifrin: Tehran and Washington also publicly disagreed on access to Iran's nuclear sites. There is no plan to let international inspectors back into the country, said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman. Esmaeil Baghaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman (through interpreter): We have not had a meeting with the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, nor do we have any plans for an agency inspection of Iran's nuclear facilities. President Donald Trump: They're wrong. They know they're wrong. They told us inside, and we have it down 100 percent inspections. And if they were right, I'd cancel the meetings right now. Nick Schifrin: But President Trump also today acknowledged the inspectors would not arrive any time soon. Question: When will those inspectors actua