Iran says it cannot guarantee safety of UN nuclear inspectors, suspends cooperation
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei holding a weekly press conference in Tehran on October 28, 2024. (Photo: AFP)
Iran cannot be expected to guarantee the security of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)Â days after nuclear sites were hit by Israeli and US strikes, its foreign ministry's spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday (Jun 30).
It also cannot ensure its usual cooperation with the agency, he added.
Iran has said that it believes an IAEA resolution on Jun 12 that accused it of ignoring its nuclear obligations served as an "excuse" for the war that Israel launched on Jun 13 and that ended with a fragile ceasefire last week.
Tehran has accused Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, of "betrayal of his duties" for not condemning the Israeli and US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, and Iranian lawmakers this week voted to suspend cooperation with the agency.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X that Grossi's insistence on visiting the bombed sites was "meaningless and possibly even malign in intent".
Speaking to American broadcaster CBS on Sunday, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, denied that there was any threat to nuclear inspectors in Iran, insisting they were "in safe conditions" but that their work was suspended.
Separately, France, Germany and Britain on Monday condemned "threats" against the head of the UN nuclear watchdog after Iran rejected its request to visit nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the United States.
Foreign ministers Jean-Noel Barrot, Johann Wadephul and David Lammy said in a joint statement:Â "France, Germany and the United Kingdom condemn threats against the director general of the IAEA Rafael Grossi and reiterate our full support to the agency."
They also called on the Iranian authorities to refrain from any steps to cease cooperation with the IAEA.
"We urge Iran to immediately resume full cooperation in line with its legally binding obligations and to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of IAEA personnel."
Argentina, Rafael Grossi's home country, has also slammed "threats" against him from Iran.
It was not specified which threats they were referring to, but Iran's ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper recently claimed documents showed that Grossi was an Israeli spy and should be executed.
