Iran Cautions against Further Erosion of IAEA Credibility

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh slammed the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] chief’s visit to the ‘Israeli’-occupied territories ahead of a key board meeting, warning against “further erosion” of the UN agency’s credibility.

In a tweet late on Friday, Khatibzadeh raised alarm over the UN nuclear body’s collusion with the ‘Israeli’ regime hours after IAEA chief Rafael Grossi held talks with the Zionist regime’s hawkish premier Naftali Bennett in Tel Aviv.

“As one of the original signatories to NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty], Iran calls on all to beware of further erosion of the IAEA's credibility,” Khatibzadeh said.

The statement came after Grossi met with Bennett, followed by the latter’s remarks that his regime was prepared to use force to stop Iran's nuclear program.

Grossi's whirlwind visit to Tel Aviv came in the backdrop of a report by IAEA alleging that Iran has "not clarified" the presence of nuclear material at three sites.

Khatibzadeh, pointing to the UN nuclear body’s blatant double standards, said the world powers cannot overlook ‘Israel’s’ weapons program while indulging in rhetoric about Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.

“No one can keep mum on ‘Israel's’ clandestine nuclear weapons program and then claim impartiality and talk about Iran's peaceful nuclear activities,” he asserted.

The Zionist regime has scaled up its vigorous campaign against a potential deal in Vienna, mounting pressure on the US administration through the influence-yielding Zionist lobby in Washington.

It has also been flouting conspiracy theories against Iran’s peaceful, energy-oriented nuclear program, to sidetrack attention from ongoing efforts to revive the 2015 accord.

Earlier this week, Bennett accused Iran of stealing classified documents from the IAEA and using them to deceive international inspectors nearly two decades ago. Iran rejected the allegations as outright lies.

Khatibzadeh, in a statement late on Wednesday, called the ‘Israeli’ regime “the world's #1 JCPOA hater” which he said also “happens to be NPT-denier and the only nuke-possessor” of the region.

“We know this. The world knows this. Time for E3/US to stop pretending to be asleep. They can pursue diplomacy—or pursue the opposite. We're ready for both,” the spokesman said.

The Tel Aviv regime, which possesses the largest number of nuclear warheads in the region, has never allowed IAEA inspectors to inspect its nuclear sites. It has also refused to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

On the other hand, Iran, despite being a signatory of the NPT, continues to reel under harsh sanctions for pursuing a peaceful nuclear program.

The IAEA’s board of governors is scheduled to hold the meeting on Monday, with all eyes on the agency’s latest report.

The meeting is reportedly set to adopt an anti-Iran resolution, drafted by Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, to accuse the Islamic Republic of withholding cooperation with the agency.

Iran has previously cautioned the UN nuclear agency against allowing the ‘Israeli’ regime to influence its independent mandate and decision-making.

The regime’s campaign aimed at incriminating Iran’s nuclear work comes while it continues to be the sole possessor of nuclear arms in the region, with a stockpile of hundreds of atomic warheads.

Due to the cover provided by the US and Europeans, the regime has always refused to open up its nuclear sites to IAEA inspectors and also refused to join the NPT.