WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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Author: M.J. Gdnus
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany today condemned threats made against Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), after an Iranian newspaper called for him to be tried and executed as an alleged Israeli agent.
“France, Germany, and the United Kingdom condemn the threats directed at IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and reiterate their full support for the Agency and its Director in the fulfillment of their mandate,” said the foreign ministries of the three countries in a joint statement.
“We call on Iranian authorities to refrain from any actions that would disrupt cooperation with the IAEA. Furthermore, we urge Iran to immediately restore full cooperation, in accordance with its legally binding obligations, and to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of IAEA personnel,” the statement added.
The statement did not specify the nature of the threats, but it follows an article published by the hardline Iranian daily Kayhan, closely aligned with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The article accused Grossi of ties to Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, and stated that if Grossi entered Iran, he should be put on trial and sentenced to death.
Grossi has not responded directly to the accusations but stated that his priority is to restore IAEA inspectors’ access to Iran’s nuclear facilities as soon as possible.
Iranian authorities have not publicly commented on the article, while Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, denied that there are any threats against Grossi.
However, Tehran has increasingly criticized Grossi and threatened to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, accusing the Agency of providing justification for recent Israeli airstrikes. These strikes began shortly after the IAEA Board of Governors voted to censure Iran for failing to meet its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday that the IAEA’s “double standards” were creating regional and global security risks, according to Iranian state media.
“The position of the Iranian government, parliament, and people is that the IAEA Director has not acted impartially with regard to Iran’s nuclear dossier, despite all previous cooperation and interaction — and such conduct is completely unacceptable to us,” Iranian outlets quoted Pezeshkian as saying.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also declared Grossi unwelcome in Iran, accusing him of “harmful activities” and playing a “regrettable role.”
On Monday, Iran further stated that it could not guarantee the safety of IAEA inspectors at this time.
“How can we be expected to ensure the safety of Agency inspectors when Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities were attacked just days ago?” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei at a press conference.
Baghaei added that the Iranian parliament had passed legislation mandating withdrawal from cooperation with the IAEA, which has also been approved by the Guardian Council — the body controlled by the Supreme Leader — and must now be implemented.
“Iran cannot be expected to meet its NPT obligations when the United Nations has not even condemned attacks on our nuclear facilities,” Baghaei concluded.
