SAEDNEWS: In a blistering tweet, Iranian nuclear negotiator Seyed Abbas Araghchi has accused IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi of political bias, undermining international trust in the UN nuclear watchdog. The statement marks a significant escalation in Tehran’s rhetorical campaign against the agency’s leadership.
According to Saed News, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and one of the country’s most seasoned nuclear negotiators, has issued a sharply worded rebuke of Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The critique, posted on Araghchi’s official Twitter account, accuses Grossi of complicity in politicizing the agency’s role and failing to condemn acts of aggression against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Araghchi stated that Iran’s Parliament has voted to suspend cooperation with the IAEA until guarantees are made regarding the security and sovereignty of its nuclear infrastructure. He described the decision as a direct consequence of what he termed Grossi’s “regrettable role” in concealing the fact that the agency had already formally closed all past outstanding issues with Iran over a decade ago.
The diplomat went further, accusing Grossi of laying the groundwork for a politically motivated IAEA Board of Governors resolution against Iran, which he claims has emboldened Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. “By refusing to condemn such blatant violations of IAEA safeguards and its own charter, Grossi has fundamentally betrayed the impartiality required of his office,” Araghchi said.
The message signals rising tensions between Tehran and the Vienna-based agency at a time when diplomatic efforts to revive nuclear negotiations remain fragile. Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, while Western powers — especially the U.S., France, Germany, and the U.K. — have pressed for deeper inspections and transparency.
Grossi, who has led the IAEA since 2019, has come under scrutiny in Iran for what officials call a “double standard” — remaining vocal about Iran’s nuclear activities while staying largely silent on acts of sabotage attributed to foreign intelligence services.
Araghchi’s tweet reflects a broader sentiment within Iran’s political establishment, which increasingly views the IAEA not as a neutral international body but as an instrument manipulated by geopolitical adversaries. He also questioned the agency’s recent push to inspect bombed Iranian facilities, calling such demands not only meaningless but potentially indicative of “malicious intent.”
“Iran reserves the right to take any necessary measures to protect its interests, its people, and its sovereignty,” Araghchi concluded.
While no official response from the IAEA has been issued, the public confrontation adds another layer of strain to already tenuous Iran–IAEA relations. With enriched uranium stockpiles increasing and diplomatic channels narrowing, observers warn that rising rhetorical hostility could further erode the possibility of a negotiated nuclear framework — one that had once seemed within reach.
