TEHRAN — Iran has urged International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi to refrain from what it called “baseless remarks” about its nuclear activities, accusing him of fueling Western and Israeli hostility toward the country, according to Tasnim News Agency.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told Al Jazeera that Grossi “knows full well the peaceful nature” of Iran’s nuclear program and warned that his earlier comments had “paved the way” for attacks by the United States and Israel during June’s brief but deadly conflict.
Grossi said Wednesday that IAEA inspectors had observed renewed movement at several Iranian nuclear facilities, though he noted there was no sign of active uranium enrichment beyond previously reported levels. Satellite imagery, he added, had shown no new evidence of escalated nuclear work since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel earlier this year.
In a confidential May report to the IAEA Board of Governors, Grossi had raised concerns about unreported activities at three undeclared sites and Iran’s uranium stockpile enriched up to 60% purity. Tehran dismissed the findings as politically motivated.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) responded sharply, saying its nuclear program remains under full IAEA monitoring and that 60% enrichment is permitted under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. “All nuclear materials and activities have been declared and verified,” the agency insisted.
Tensions have soared since Israel’s June 13 airstrikes on Iranian territory; an assault Tehran described as unprovoked, which killed senior military officers, nuclear scientists, and civilians. The United States later joined the conflict, targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities in what Iran called a violation of international law.
Following the attacks, Iran’s parliament passed a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, citing violations of national sovereignty. President Masoud Pezeshkian told European Council President António Costa in July that Tehran would consider resuming cooperation only if “double standards” on its nuclear activities were lifted.
For now, Iran’s message to the IAEA remains unchanged: stop questioning what it insists is a peaceful nuclear program, or risk further diplomatic fallout.
