Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has publicly outlined the boundaries of international inspector access within the country, asserting that entry is confined strictly to two designated nuclear facilities. The statement marks a clear delineation of Iran's position on the scope of international inspections amid ongoing scrutiny of its nuclear program.

Inspector Access Restricted to Two Facilities

Ghalibaf confirmed that inspectors are permitted access exclusively to the Bushehr Power Plant and the Tehran Reactor. He emphasized that no further access has been granted beyond these two sites, drawing a firm boundary around the extent of permissible international oversight.

The following table outlines the sites where inspector access has been confirmed and the official position on other locations:

Claims on Bombed Sites Rejected

Ghalibaf explicitly refuted assertions that inspectors have been given access to sites that have been bombed, characterizing such claims as false. The denial underscores Iran's official stance that the scope of international inspections remains tightly controlled and limited to the two facilities named.

China Visit to Focus on Strategic Partnership

In a separate development, Ghalibaf announced an upcoming visit to China, stating that the trip is aimed at elevating Tehran-Beijing ties to the level of a strategic partnership. The visit signals Iran's intent to deepen bilateral relations with China at the highest diplomatic levels.

Key highlights of the announced China engagement include:

• The visit is being pursued with the explicit goal of upgrading the Tehran-Beijing relationship
• The objective is to establish a strategic partnership between the two countries
• The announcement was made by Iran's Parliament Speaker, indicating high-level legislative engagement

The dual announcements — on inspector access limitations and the China diplomatic outreach — reflect Iran's active management of both its nuclear oversight posture and its international diplomatic alignments.

Vice President JD Vance offered his perspective on the unique negotiation tactics employed by Iran and their approach towards the peace talks with the U.S. In an interview with conservative commentator Michael Knowles, Vance expressed his intrigue over Iran’s constant denial of ongoing peace talks while simultaneously acknowledging technical discussions with the U.S. about a peace deal. He referred to this as a "Persian negotiating tactic and a Persian rhetorical device," a strategy he recognizes as typically Iranian but said that he does not fully understand.

Vance also shed light on the current strategy of the U.S. administration regarding the issue, which he said is "underappreciated." Vance pointed out that President Donald Trump’s approach is to constantly "reshuffle the deck" to identify leverage and pressure points, and then evaluate potential areas of progress. In another interview on Tuesday with Fox News, Vance stated, "We care a lot less about what the Iranians say. We care a lot more about what they do," while discussing the positive and negative aspects of the negotiations.

Iran’s 'Bazaar Style' Diplomacy

Vance’s remarks come in the wake of Iran’s refusal to engage in direct talks with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, saying any communication will go through Qatari mediators. Notably, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Tehran’s approach in his 2025 Persian political memoir Negotiations: the Power of Diplomacy, later translated into English, as a "bazaar style" of diplomacy, one that relies on continuous, patient, and relentless bargaining.

Araghchi wrote that successful bargaining depends on repeatedly restating the same demands with different arguments while remaining patient and persistent. He said negotiators keep presenting examples and reasoning until the other side "gets numb" and agrees. The approach, he suggested, helps Iran prolong negotiations, maintain ambiguity, resist pressure, and seek gradual concessions despite military disadvantages.

Contrasting Strategies

Aurélien Colson of ESSEC Business School told The Independent that Iran’s negotiating approach deliberately prolongs talks to expose the other side’s impatience, divisions, or bottom line. He contrasts this with Trump’s "Art of the Deal", which prioritizes speed, high-profile negotiations, and quick agreements, while Iran emphasizes patience, ambiguity, repetition, and wearing down its counterpart.