Iran's president said on Thursday the UN nuclear watchdog should drop its "double standards" if Tehran is to resume cooperation with it over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, Iranian state media reported.
President Masoud Pezeshkian last week enacted a law suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the IAEA said it had pulled its last remaining inspectors out of Iran.
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Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian threatens IAEA head and Israel
(Photo: Atta Kenare/ AFP)
Relations between Iran and the IAEA have worsened since the United States and Israel bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in June, saying they wanted to prevent Tehran from developing an atomic weapon. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only and denies seeking atomic weapons.
"The continuation of Iran's cooperation with the agency (IAEA) depends on the latter correcting its double standards regarding the nuclear file," state media quoted Pezeshkian as telling European Council President Antonio Costa by phone.
"Any repeated aggression (against Iran) will be met with a more decisive and regrettable response," he said.
Tehran accuses the IAEA of failing to condemn the attacks by the United States and Israel, and says the nuclear watchdog paved the way for the bombing by issuing a resolution declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations.
Threat made to Grossi during a children's show
"Failure to observe the principle of impartiality in reporting is one of the examples that casts doubt on the status and credibility of the IAEA," Pezeshkian said.
The bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities led to a 12-day war, during which Iran launched drones and missiles at Israel.
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IAEA inspectors have not been able to inspect Iran's facilities since the bombing campaign, even though IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has said it is his top priority.
Meanwhile, the Iranian opposition-run Iran International TV channel on Thursday released a segment from the Iranian regime's television broadcasts, in which the regime's threats against Grossi continue.
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Threats against IAEA chief Rafael Grossi on children's show on Iranian State Television
(Photo: Joe Klamar/AFP)
The broadcast from state television shows a cartoon in which Grossi's face is seen placed on the sight of a rifle pointed at Iran, held by a sniper. On his face mask appears the Star of David, symbolizing Israel, and the inscription MAGA representing the U.S. While the cartoon is being shown to viewers, the host says that Grossi "betrayed" Iran and that he "will be dealt with."
Since the start of Operation Rising Lion, Iran has accused Grossi, whose inspectors were stationed in Iran and who himself visited it several times, of leaking information to Israel and thus aiding its attack. Extremist elements in the Islamic Republic have even called for his arrest and execution.
In light of the threats against Grossi, the IAEA announced on Friday that it had withdrawn all of its inspectors from Iran due to "security concerns." Even then, Grossi emphasized that "it is important to discuss ways to resume our inspection and monitoring activities in Iran as soon as possible."