Pars Today

Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is obstructing the revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal by his continued political approaches amid the US administration’s foot-dragging in removing economic sanctions against Tehran, according to Iran's Nour News.

The news analysis website, which is close to the country’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), said on Tuesday that Grossi, in tandem with the Israeli regime, are the main obstacles to the finalization of the Vienna talks on the restoration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the official name of the 2015 accord.

“The continued adoption of political approaches by the Director General of the IAEA in a situation that Western officials and media are optimistic about reaching an agreement, shows that Rafael Grossi is still the main obstacle to the finalization of the sanctions-lifting negotiations, along with the Zionist regime,” Nour News said.

The news website stressed that Grossi’s “political and non-technical behavior” in the case of Iran's peaceful nuclear activities has always presented a serious challenge for resolving the existing disputes in the revival of the JCPOA.

Pointing to Grossi's recent interview with CNN, Nour News said the IAEA’s chief had started repeating previous accusations against the Islamic Republic while the Western officials and media expressed optimism about the finalization of the diplomatic process.

Responding to the unsubstantiated protestations in the interview, Nour News said Grossi's statements are raised while Iran has already provided the necessary information and access to the IAEA, but the director general of the international organization “continues to play opposition regardless of Iran's goodwill and based on undocumented reports provided to the IAEA by the Zionist regime.”

“Grossi's continued adoption of this approach shows that he, along with the Zionist regime, is still the main obstacle to the finalization of the sanctions lifting negotiations,” it said.

Pointing to Grossi’s travel to Israel and his talks with the officials of the regime before the meeting of the Board of Governors in June, Nour News said, “The adoption of non-constructive positions by the Director General of the IAEA confirms that the Islamic Republic of Iran's insistence on the need to resolve the remaining safeguard issues before any agreement has valid reasons and is aimed at preventing the continuation of the political behavior of the Director General of the IAEA.”

SS