US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday urged Iran to guarantee the safety and security of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) personnel, condemning threats made against IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
In a post on X, Rubio stated, “Calls in Iran for the arrest and execution of IAEA Director General Grossi are unacceptable and should be condemned. We support the IAEA’s critical verification and monitoring efforts in Iran and commend the Director General and the IAEA for their dedication and professionalism. We call on Iran to provide for the safety and security of IAEA personnel.”
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, following retaliatory missile attacks by Tehran on a major US military base in Qatar. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei claimed the strikes were in response to American attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz.
In the aftermath, former US President Donald Trump described Khamenei’s rhetoric as “a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust,” and subsequently paused diplomatic efforts, including sanctions relief talks that could have supported Iran’s economic recovery.
Further escalating the standoff, Iran suspended its cooperation with the IAEA. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Tehran may now deny access to nuclear sites, dismissing Grossi’s inspection requests as “meaningless and possibly even malign in intent.”
No IAEA inspections have occurred since June 13, the day Israel began a series of airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to Al Jazeera.
The US continues to express support for the IAEA’s role in verifying nuclear compliance and has called on Iran to return to full cooperation with the agency.
