France, Germany and the United Kingdom condemned Iran’s threats against IAEA chief Rafael Grossi on Monday after Tehran rejected a request to visit nuclear sites that had been hit by Israeli and US strikes.
Iran accused Grossi of “betraying his duties” for not condemning the attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, and Iranian lawmakers voted this week to suspend co-operation with the IAEA.
In a joint statement, Foreign Ministers Jean-Noël Barrot, Johann Wadephul and David Lammy condemned the threats against Grossi and emphasised their support for the IAEA’s activities.
“We urge the Iranian authorities to refrain from any steps to end co-operation with the IAEA,” the ministers stressed. The foreign ministers also called on Iran to immediately “resume full co-operation in accordance with its legally binding commitments and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of IAEA personnel.”
Preliminary intelligence assessments provided to European governments indicate that Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium remain largely intact after the US strikes. In turn, US President Donald Trump compared the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
