Iran's UN envoy denies any threat to the IAEA chief.

Iran's UN envoy denies any threat to the IAEA chief.

Iran's UN envoy, Abbas Araghchi, has dismissed any threats against the IAEA chief, Rafael Grossi, following the rejection of Grossi's request to visit bombed nuclear facilities. Araghchi stated that Grossi's insistence on visiting the sites under the guise of safeguards was "meaningless and possibly even malign in intent" [1].

The IAEA chief had requested access to the bombed sites to establish what had happened to Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Grossi's concerns were echoed by the U.S., which has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of its strikes in destroying Iran's nuclear program [2]. However, Araghchi accused Grossi of "betrayal of his duties" for not condemning the Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities [1].

In response to the Iranian parliament's approval of a bill suspending cooperation with the IAEA, Argentina has condemned what it described as threats against Grossi. The Argentine foreign ministry urged Iranian authorities to guarantee the safety of Grossi and his team, and "refrain from any action that could put them at risk" [3].

Grossi, in an interview with CBS News, stated that Iran could begin producing enriched uranium "in a matter of months," despite the damage to several nuclear facilities [2]. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, praised Grossi and the IAEA for their "dedication and professionalism" [3].

References:
[1] https://jordantimes.com/news/region/iran-says-iaea-chief-request-to-visit-bombed-sites-suggests-malign-intent
[2] https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Iran-tensions/IAEA-chief-says-Iran-could-be-enriching-uranium-within-months
[3] https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1467055/argentina-condemns-irans-threats-against-iaea-chief-grossi.html