Iran has warned that it cannot guarantee the safety of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors while damage assessment continues at nuclear facilities targeted in recent US-Israeli strikes.
“Director General Rafael Grossi’s insistence on maintaining normal operations is not understandable and entirely unrealistic,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday. “The parliamentary law on the suspension of cooperation between Iran and the IAEA is binding on us.”
Baghaei also strongly condemned recent statements by US President Trump who, prior to announcing a ceasefire last Tuesday, bragged that he knew where Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was hiding but chose not to authorize a hit.
“It is completely clear that such vulgar, insulting, and provocative remarks are wholly rejected and condemned,” he said. “These words have hurt the sentiments of millions of Iranians and Muslims inside and outside Iran and will only increase hatred and resentment toward US policies in the region and against Muslims.”
Meanwhile, Tehran is building a dossier from the attacks to present to international organizations as evidence of “war crimes,” Iran International reports. While Israel and the US claim they “obliterated” Iran’s declared nuclear facilities, intercepted communications suggest IRGC officials privately view the damage as less severe than originally thought.
After becoming the first president since 1988 to directly strike Iran, Trump indicated he might ease sanctions provided the regime demonstrates a commitment to ending its global jihad.
“Sanctions cost us a lot of money but I would… start waiving them for countries like Iran, if they behave themselves, where they can sell oil and they can do the things that you want to be able to do,” Trump told Fox News on Sunday.
The president also addressed his signature 2020 Abraham Accords normalization agreements, explaining that Iran’s threatening posture had previously hindered wider Middle East peace efforts with Israel.
“Iran was the primary problem,” Trump stated. “I actually thought we had a period of time where I thought Iran would join the Abraham Accords along with everybody else. And, frankly, they would have been better off than where they are right now.”
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