Britain, France and Germany condemn 'threats' against head of IAEA watchdog

Britain, France and Germany condemned on Monday what they described as threats against the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, after a hardline Iranian newspaper said IAEA boss Rafael Grossi should be tried and executed as an Israeli agent.

"France, Germany and the United Kingdom condemn threats against the Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi and reiterate our full support to the Agency and the DG in carrying out their mandate," said a joint statement issued by the foreign affairs ministries of those three countries.

"We call on Iranian authorities to refrain from any steps to cease cooperation with the IAEA. We urge Iran to immediately resume full cooperation in line with its legally binding obligations, and to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of IAEA personnel," they added.

The three European countries are parties to a 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran.

Their joint statement did not specify what threats had been made against Grossi, but it follows an article in Iran's Kayhan newspaper, known for hardline views and closely associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which accused Grossi of having ties to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.

The newspaper said that, should Grossi enter Iran, he should be tried and sentenced to death.

Iranian officials have not publicly endorsed the newspaper article. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said there was no threat against Grossi.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Grossi was not currently welcome in Iran, accusing him of having carried out "malign action" and playing a "regrettable role" that had led to Iran's parliament voting to suspend cooperation with the IAEA.

Iranian officials have long blamed the IAEA for providing justification used by Israel for its 12-day campaign of airstrikes against Iran, which began on June 13, a day after the IAEA's board declared Iran in violation of treaty obligations.

"Misleading narratives have dire consequences, Mr Grossi, and demand accountability," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on June 19.

On Monday, Iran said it could not be expected to guarantee the safety of IAEA inspectors so swiftly after its nuclear sites were hit by Israeli and U.S. strikes in war, which ended with a ceasefire last week.

"How can they expect us to ensure the safety and security of the agency's inspectors when Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities were attacked a few days ago?" Baghaei told a news conference.

Baghaei said the parliamentary bill calling for the government to withdraw cooperation with the IAEA had been approved by the Guardian Council, a security body controlled by appointees of the supreme leader, and carrying it out was now mandatory.

"Iran shouldn't be expected to accept its obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) when the UN nuclear watchdog has stopped short of condemning the attacks on Iran's nuclear sites," Baghaei said.