SAEDNEWS: Iran has filed a formal complaint against the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, accusing Rafael Grossi of adopting a biased stance toward Tehran’s peaceful nuclear programme.
According to SAEDNEWS, In a strongly worded letter addressed to the President of the United Nations Security Council, Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Amir Saeid Iravani, has lodged a formal complaint against Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accusing him of serious failings in the impartial execution of his duties
Acting on instructions from Tehran, Iravani expressed the Islamic Republic’s “deep concern” over what it described as Grossi’s "serious dereliction of duty" under the IAEA Statute. The letter draws the Council’s attention to the following key points
Iran condemned public remarks made by Grossi on the eve of Israel’s recent hostile action against Iranian territory, labeling them a “clear and serious breach of the principle of neutrality” expected of his office. Tehran argues that such statements directly contradict the legal responsibilities enshrined in the IAEA’s founding statute
Despite repeated and documented warnings from Iran about Israel’s explicit threats to target its nuclear facilities—facilities fully under IAEA safeguards and used solely for peaceful purposes—the Director General failed to take any preventative or deterrent measures. According to Iran, this inaction constitutes a violation of Grossi’s obligations under both the Agency's statute and international legal norms
Iran highlights Grossi’s press conference on June 9, 2025, following the Board of Governors meeting, where he reportedly referenced Israeli “concerns” but deliberately avoided mentioning binding prohibitions under international law that forbid attacks on nuclear facilities used for peaceful purposes. Tehran views this omission as a flagrant failure to uphold legal standards within the IAEA’s jurisdiction
After the recent Israeli strike, Grossi did not identify Israel as the aggressor nor did he condemn the targeting of safeguarded nuclear sites, Iran states. This silence, despite Israel’s open admission of responsibility, is seen as undermining the IAEA’s safeguard system and the broader non-proliferation regime
Iran argues that the Director General’s continued silence in the face of such violations amounts to “complicity through omission” in an unprecedented act of aggression against the Islamic Republic
The letter references previous incidents, including Israel’s public threat to use nuclear weapons against civilians in Gaza. Despite a formal joint appeal from the ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in December 2023, Grossi allegedly failed to issue any public statement or condemnation, thereby neglecting his responsibilities once again
Iran accuses Grossi of adopting a “politicized, selective, and discriminatory” stance towards Tehran. For instance, when Iran lawfully revoked the accreditation of certain inspectors under Article 9 of its Safeguards Agreement, the Director General immediately issued a public condemnation and used what Iran calls “inflammatory and accusatory language” in his November 2023 report to the IAEA Board of Governors.
Iran concludes that Grossi’s conduct represents a repeated and grave violation of his legal obligations concerning neutrality, professionalism, and objectivity. These actions, Tehran argues, have damaged the Agency’s institutional credibility and are incompatible with the independence and impartiality required of the Director General under Article III of the IAEA Statute
Iran has formally requested that this correspondence be circulated as an official document of the UN Security Council
