TEHRAN – The latest comments from International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi have reignited controversy over the neutrality of the agency’s report on Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and the UN agency’s role in helping justify Western pressure and aggression against the country.
In an interview with French newspaper France 24 on Thursday, Grossi insisted that despite recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities, the Islamic Republic still possesses enough highly enriched uranium and technological capabilities to build several nuclear weapons. He added that although facilities in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordou were “severely damaged”, Tehran had “the necessary knowledge and materials” to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure within a year.
Grossi’s comments about Iran’s nuclear weapons program seem particularly out of touch and unnecessary, as US President Donald Trump recently acknowledged being “in charge” of the war against Iran and has said multiple times since June that he has “annihilated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and efforts are underway to restart negotiations.
An IAEA report overseen by Grossi claimed that in the weeks leading up to the June attack, Iran’s uranium enrichment reached levels “higher than typical in non-military programs.”
Iranian officials have described the report as “misleading and selective” and the Israeli regime has repeatedly cited it to justify illegal attacks on Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities.
Tehran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeed Iravani, later accused the IAEA of acting as a “political tool rather than a professional agency” and claimed that its distorted reporting directly contributed to the chain of events leading up to the attack.
Just a few months later, Mr. Grossi has repeated similar claims, renewing suspicions that the agency is once again providing political cover for Western pressure campaigns against Iran.
IAEA Mission and Selective Silence
According to international law, the IAEA is obligated to protect member states engaged in peaceful nuclear activities from external threats. The June attack on a secure civilian facility was a serious violation of this principle. However, authorities have never condemned these strikes.
Instead, the director chose to make vague statements that called into question Iran’s intentions, effectively redirecting the narrative from the illegality of the invasion to baseless doubts about Iran’s peace plans.
Iranian analysts warn that this selective silence undermines the IAEA’s credibility as an impartial institution and undermines the trust needed for meaningful cooperation.
While Mr. Grossi and Western media focus on the worst-case scenario, the Iranian government continues to act constructively and diplomatically. In late August, as tensions escalated over the lifting of UN sanctions, Iran presented a comprehensive proposal aimed at preventing further escalation.
According to information obtained by the Tehran Times, Iran has proposed halting enrichment beyond 60 percent and transferring enriched uranium stockpiles to neutral countries or directly to Europe, while maintaining full cooperation with the IAEA. The proposal, initially welcomed by European mediators, was scheduled to be announced at a tripartite meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly that included Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Mr. Grossi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. However, just days before the announcement, the Iranian government called off the talks after the US government unilaterally modified the terms and demanded that Iran hand over the uranium before canceling the snapback. After the collapse, three European countries triggered a snapback mechanism and formally reimposed pre-JCPOA UN sanctions, but Russia, China and more than 100 other countries refuse to recognize the sanctions as legitimate.
Throughout this period, Iran has emphasized that its nuclear program is completely peaceful and remains under the constant supervision of the IAEA. It authorizes more inspections than any other member state and has repeatedly asserted that nuclear weapons have no place in its defense doctrine. The leader of the Islamic revolution, Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has issued clear religious decrees prohibiting the development, possession and use of nuclear weapons, a position consistently reiterated by Iranian officials in international forums.
Despite these tensions, the Iranian government reaffirmed its willingness to engage in dialogue based on mutual respect, equality, and compliance with international law.