Iran warns against further erosion of IAEA credibility

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Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh condemned the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief's visit to “Israel” ahead of a critical board meeting, warning of "further erosion" of the UN agency's credibility.

In a late Friday tweet, Khatibzadeh expressed concern about the UN nuclear agency's collusion with the Israeli regime, just hours after IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi met with the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, in “Tel Aviv”.

“As one of the original signatories to NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty), Iran calls on all to beware of further erosion of the IAEA's credibility,” he said.

The statement came after Grossi met with Bennett, who said that “Israel” was willing to use force to stop Iran's nuclear program.

Grossi's quick trip to “Tel Aviv” coincided with an IAEA report alleging that Iran has "not clarified" the presence of nuclear material at three sites.

In response to the UN nuclear body's obvious double standards, Khatibzadeh stated that world powers cannot ignore “Israel's” weapons program while engaging in rhetoric about Iran's peaceful nuclear program.

“No one can keep mum on Israel's clandestine nuclear weapons program and then claim impartiality and talk about Iran's peaceful nuclear activities,” he said.

Bennett accused Iran earlier this week of stealing classified documents from the IAEA and using them to deceive international inspectors nearly two decades ago. Iran has categorically denied the allegations.

It is worth mentioning that “Israel” is estimated to have 200 to 400 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, owing to its deliberate ambiguity about its nuclear weapons policy. 

The occupying entity has refused inspections of its military nuclear facilities and has refused to sign the NPT.

Meanwhile, Iran is a signatory to the NPT and has steadily maintained that its nuclear program is entirely civilian and subject to the most stringent UN oversight worldwide.