Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA), could potentially face prosecution in absentia for his
role in enabling recent US and Israeli military aggression against Iran, said a
senior Iranian judiciary official. The official emphasized that the case would
require review and action through international legal mechanisms.
Speaking on the sidelines of the "American Human Rights
from the Viewpoint of the Leader" congress, Hojjatoleslam Ali Mozaffari,
Deputy Head of Iran’s Judiciary, addressed a range of legal and political
concerns stemming from the recent 12-day war launched by Israel with US
backing.
Mozaffari asserted that the hegemonic powers, particularly
the United States, have consistently demonstrated hostility toward any
independent nation's progress — especially that of the Islamic Republic of
Iran.
"The American-led hegemonic system cannot tolerate the
scientific, political, or economic advancement of any other nation. Our
peaceful nuclear and missile achievements, as well as the broader development
that has taken place since the Islamic Revolution, are viewed by them as
intolerable threats,” he said.
He argued that Washington and its allies seek to monopolize
scientific and technological progress by tying it to their own strategic
interests. “Scientific progress is a universal human value — it should not be
subject to the political agenda of any regime. But the West only acknowledges
such progress when it serves their interests,” Mozaffari stated.
“When Iran, as an independent Islamic system, proves that it
can succeed on its own terms, it becomes a model for neighboring countries —
and that is exactly what the hegemonic powers fear.”
Mozaffari also criticized efforts to tarnish Iran’s
international standing through baseless accusations of human rights violations
and nuclear weapons development. “These accusations have long lacked evidence,
but were nonetheless used as pretexts to justify the brutal 12-day military
assault on Iran — an aggression that led to the martyrdom of senior Iranian
commanders and nuclear scientists, as well as the deaths of innocent civilians,
including women and children,” he said.
He condemned the bombing of Iran’s national broadcaster, the
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), noting that it violates
international conventions protecting independent media. “This institution was
targeted precisely because it was exposing the atrocities of the aggressors. It
was an attempt to silence the voice of justice — but they failed. The truth was
heard, and the resistance of the Iranian people stood strong.”
On the legal front, Mozaffari revealed that various
departments within the Iranian Judiciary, particularly the International Law
Division, are now actively gathering documentation to pursue international
legal claims.
“We are preparing formal complaints to present to
international bodies, seeking material and moral compensation for the damages
inflicted on Iran as a result of the US-Israeli aggression,” he said.
Addressing
the possible prosecution of Rafael Grossi, Mozaffari stated that the matter
falls under the jurisdiction of Iran’s international legal affairs and must be
carefully examined within that framework. However, he emphasized that Grossi
must be held accountable if it is proven that his conduct and reports
facilitated acts of aggression.
“When someone prepares the ground for war crimes through
biased and deceptive reports, they cannot expect immunity. Accountability is
essential,” he said.
Mozaffari expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of
international organizations in defending the rights of oppressed nations.
“Unfortunately, history shows that global institutions have rarely taken
meaningful action in defense of the oppressed. But despite this track record, Iran
has a legal duty to pursue justice, and we will fulfill that duty,” he
concluded.
As
Israel launched strikes on Iran’s civilian nuclear infrastructure and carried
out targeted assassinations of its scientists, Rafael Grossi’s failure to
condemn the attacks—and his continued silence—was widely seen as implicit
approval.
When
the United States entered the conflict on June 22, deploying bunker-buster
bombs and Tomahawk missiles against Iran’s key nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz,
and Isfahan, Grossi again refrained from issuing any criticism. Instead, he
demanded that Tehran grant IAEA inspectors immediate access to the damaged
facilities.
Tensions
escalated further following a June 25 interview Grossi gave to Fox News, in
which he speculated that around 900 pounds of enriched uranium were missing. He
also refused to dismiss the possibility that the material could be hidden at a
so-called “ancient site” near Isfahan—a remark that many Iranians interpreted
as an attempt to justify future strikes on cultural heritage locations.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf condemned
Grossi’s remarks, describing his call for inspections of bombed facilities as
“provocative and absurd,” and accused the IAEA of having compromised its
integrity on the global stage.
In direct response, Iran’s parliament voted unanimously on
June 25 to suspend all inspections by the IAEA until the agency can provide
credible guarantees for the safety of Iran’s peaceful nuclear infrastructure.
