IAEA Chief Rejects Iran’s Criticism, Calls for Renewed Diplomacy
Speaking at a news conference in Vienna after a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors, Grossi responded to comments from Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, who accused him of taking a political and irresponsible approach and criticized him for not condemning US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year.
“I have nothing to say. This is a political reaction, and the Iranian ambassador and the Iranian mission are in their right to have their view about all of this, about my reports. Obviously I do not share that view. My view is in my reports," Grossi said.
Emphasizing the importance of diplomacy, he added: "I think at the end of the day, this is something I have been repeating: There must be a political dialogue. There must be a diplomatic agreement. This is what we believe in and what we are trying to support."
Addressing questions about Iran’s nuclear activities, Grossi cautioned against making definitive claims regarding whether Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons. He noted that the agency’s ability to verify developments has been significantly restricted because inspectors have lacked access to key facilities for nearly a year.
"We have never said that they were doing that," he said, referring to allegations that Iran is attempting to develop a nuclear weapon.
Grossi explained that the agency's monitoring capabilities were curtailed after inspectors lost access to important sites following the outbreak of the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel nearly a year ago.
He stressed that ensuring Iran’s compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons remains essential for international verification efforts.
"What is important is to establish very clearly the fact that Iran is in full compliance with its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," Grossi said, adding that such compliance would allow inspectors to confirm that no nuclear material had been diverted and that no prohibited activities were taking place.
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