During a meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Tehran on Tuesday, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami said that the "hostile" acts by "Israel" should not be an obstacle in the interactions between Iran and the IAEA. 

He warned against attempts by "ill-wishers” to smear Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA, stating, "Hostile measures against Iran, with a Zionist root, should be watched so they do not affect the interaction between the two sides". 

"The nature of the [Israeli] regime has been exposed to the world...and this is the same nature that supports a destructive trend against Iran", he stressed.

Praising the "constructive” talks with Grossi during Iran's first International Nuclear Conference, he asserted that Iran will continue to cooperate with the IAEA in three areas - the first related to the past issues, with a focus on solving the issue of two locations.

"The second one is about the current situation and following up expectations and shortcomings within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Safeguards Agreement...The responsibility for third one lies on Grossi and he should take steps for the future.”

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'Israel' as a nuclear threat

Grossi's visit to Tehran was announced by the IAEA earlier last week.

"We can confirm that Director General Grossi will be in Iran on 6-7 May for meetings with senior Iranian officials," the IAEA said. At the time, Eslami affirmed, "Iran's interactions with the IAEA continue as normal and discussions are held to resolve ambiguities and develop cooperation."

Iran and the IAEA have been at odds because of the latter's anti-Iran bias. In November, Eslami held the IAEA responsible for any threat due to the Israeli occupation's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and provide assurances.

Eslami at the time pointed out that "Israel" poses a global nuclear threat, pointing out that Iran has called on the IAEA "to investigate Israeli nuclear threats against us and Palestine and to put an end to them."

He reiterated the blame on the UN nuclear watchdog for any potential incident, stating that it "has not taken any stance regarding "Tel Aviv's non-adherence to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."

Israeli "Heritage" Minister Amihai Eliyahu has also made it clear that nuking the Gaza Strip is on the table in light of the ongoing aggression on the Palestinian people.