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Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday told the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog to stop making "political statements" and instead attend to the responsibilities of his office, escalating a public dispute over the agency's access to nuclear sites damaged in last month's conflict.
Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said at a press briefing that Tehran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency would continue "in the same manner as it has over the past few months," according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
He said that as a member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons operating under its comprehensive safeguards agreement, Iran would maintain its cooperation with the agency on the country's undamaged nuclear facilities.
Baqaei accused the IAEA of failing to fulfill its responsibilities regarding access to nuclear sites that were damaged, saying the agency had not properly carried out its duties in that regard. He did not elaborate on what specific access or actions the ministry believes the agency has failed to deliver.
The spokesperson also took aim directly at IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, saying he had failed to adequately condemn Israeli military attacks against Iran carried out in June. Baqaei framed his remarks as a recommendation to Grossi rather than a formal demand.
"Our recommendation to the director general is that, instead of repeating political statements that appear to be part of electoral campaigning, he should act more responsibly regarding the duties entrusted to him and which have not been fulfilled," Baqaei said.
The reference to "electoral campaigning" was not further explained in the ministry's remarks.
The comments come after Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17, aimed at ending their war and reaching a lasting peace agreement. Tuesday's statement did not address whether or how that memorandum affects Iran's posture toward the IAEA or its damaged nuclear facilities.
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