Iran issues sharp warning to UN nuclear chief over destructive remarks

Iran issues sharp warning to UN nuclear chief over ‘destructive’ remarks

TEHRAN- A senior Iranian diplomat issued a strong warning to the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accusing him of making biased and passive statements that only worsen the situation regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal affairs, wrote on X that Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, had “done nothing useful” regarding Iran and instead regularly made destructive remarks.

Gharibabadi was responding to recent comments by Grossi, who said that “no war can destroy Iran’s nuclear capability, unless it is a nuclear war,” adding that he hoped such an outcome would not occur.

“Is he the director general of an international organization or a media analyst?” Gharibabadi wrote. He noted that Grossi had failed to condemn attacks on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, including two recent incursions at the Bushehr nuclear power plant site. Instead of issuing serious warnings about the impact of war on Iran’s safeguarded nuclear program or the use of other destructive and illegal weapons, Gharibabadi said, the IAEA chief was “showing the way to destroy Iran’s legitimate and legal nuclear activities.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran completely objects to these biased and passive remarks by the IAEA director general and issues a serious warning in response,” Gharibabadi added.

His criticism echoed earlier remarks by the former secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, who during the 12-day war had also accused Grossi of pursuing Israeli interests regarding Iran’s nuclear program.

source: tehrantimes.com