Iran has strongly dismissed allegations that it has threatened the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, characterizing the claim “absurd and baseless” and accusing Israel of orchestrating a negative campaign to sabotage Tehran’s diplomacy.
The denial comes on the heels of reports suggesting that security measures for Director General Grossi have been heightened due to perceived threats from Iran.
An informed source in Tehran told Iran Nuances that the timing of the allegation is highly suspect as it surfaces just before a critical meeting of the IAEA’s Board of Governors.
“The claim of a threat against the Director General of the Agency by Iran is absurd and baseless,” the source stated.
According to this official, the allegation “is designed to create a negative atmosphere at the Board of Governors meeting, sabotage Iran-Agency relations, and divert public opinion from the ongoing genocide of the Israeli regime, the only possessor of weapons of mass destruction in the West Asia region,” the source added.
This development unfolds at a sensitive juncture. According to the Iranian source, interactions between Iran and the IAEA had recently seen “progress.” The sudden emergence of a threat narrative, in Tehran’s view, is a deliberate attempt to derail these engagements and poison the atmosphere of the upcoming Vienna meeting.
The IAEA has not yet publicly commented on the specifics of the alleged threat or the enhanced security measures for Director General Grossi.
