France has expressed its support to the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, while condemning the alleged threats against him from Iran.
The French Foreign Ministry said this on Monday in a statement.
On Sunday, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, said that Tehran posed no threat to Grossi personally.
“France ministry strongly condemns the threats against the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“It reiterates full support for the agency and its director general in implementing its mandate independently and impartially.
“France also expresses deep concern over any questioning of Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA and calls on the Iranian authorities to immediately fulfill their international obligations.
`’France recalls the Iranian Government’s responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of the agency’s staff in Iran,’’ the statement read in part.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Grossi’s desire to inspect the Iranian nuclear programme facilities that had been hit was pointless and might have malicious intent.
He said that the Iranian parliament had decided to suspend cooperation between the Islamic Republic and the IAEA.
He added that the IAEA director-general had played a role in concealing information that the agency had officially declared all problems resolved 10 years ago.
On the night of June 13, Israel launched an operation against Iran, accusing it of implementing a secret military nuclear programme.
Iran rejected the accusations, responding with its own attacks.
The parties exchanged strikes for 12 days, and were joined by the U.S., which carried out a one-time attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities on the night of June 22.
Tehran launched missile strikes on the U.S. base Al Udeid in Qatar on the evening of June 23, stating that the Iranian side did not intend to escalate further.
U.S. President Donald Trump noted that by striking the U.S. military base in Qatar, Iran had “let off steam’’ and that a path to peace and harmony in the Middle East was now possible.
He also said that Israel and Iran had agreed to a truce. (RIA/NAN)
