President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (I.A.E.A.) “double standards,” warning they have undermined regional and global security, during a phone call with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.
Pezeshkian, responding to Macron’s concerns over Tehran’s reduced cooperation with the I.A.E.A., said the agency’s “biased conduct,” including the publication of “inaccurate reports” about Iran’s nuclear program and failure to condemn attacks on its facilities, had eroded trust and credibility.
“The dual behavior of the I.A.E.A. has caused many problems for regional and global security,” Pezeshkian said.
The president questioned the agency’s reliance on information from the “criminal regime” of Israel which he said is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (N.P.T.) and flouts international law.
Pezeshkian expressed frustration that amidst Iran’s negotiations with the United States, the country was attacked – with the U.S. backing – by Israel, resulting in the deaths of Iranian scientists and military figures. He regretted that the so-called advocates of human rights even tried to justify these crimes.
He warned that without guarantees, Iran’s nuclear sites could remain vulnerable even if cooperation with the I.A.E.A. resumed.
“The Iranian people now seriously question what assurances exist that our nuclear facilities will not be targeted again even if the Islamic Republic of Iran continues with its cooperation with the agency,” he added.
According to IRNA, Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to diplomacy and dialogue and said international organizations must guide the world toward peace – not conflict –by adhering to their obligations and treating member states equally.
Macron, in response, offered condolences for Iranian victims of recent Israeli strikes and stressed that France was among the first countries to condemn the joint U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran.
He reiterated France’s position that Israel holds no legitimate legal role in Iran’s nuclear dossier and expressed support for Iran’s call for equal implementation of I.A.E.A. rules.
Macron also underlined the importance of continuing Iran’s cooperation with the I.A.E.A. – possibly under a new framework – and sustaining dialogue with European partners.
