Lavrov Warns Grossi on Maintaining Neutrality in Iran’s Nuclear Program

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov requested the Director General of the IAEA to maintain impartiality in his evaluation of Iran’s nuclear program.

According to Rokna, Lavrov told reporters that Moscow expects Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, to uphold neutrality and professional behavior in reporting and evaluating Iran’s nuclear activities.

Lavrov stated: “We ask Grossi, who supports the resumption of dialogue with Tehran, to strictly adhere to the agency’s principles under his leadership, including impartiality, non-bias, and professionalism in reports and overall agency activities.”

These remarks by Lavrov come as Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, also called for the resumption of nuclear talks with Iran.

Abdelatty said on Friday: “It is essential that the de-escalated situation and direct negotiations between Iran, the IAEA, and the European Troika countries be resumed.”

The IAEA Director General claimed in an interview on Tuesday that without reaching a durable agreement with Iran, the issue will always remain under the shadow of what he termed a “Damocles sword.”

Grossi, responding to a question from French media outlet RFI about whether cooperation with Iran could resume after the June airstrikes on some Iranian nuclear sites, said: “Without a practical and lasting agreement, this threat will always remain like the sword of Damocles, and at any moment, problems could re-emerge. Therefore, a practical and durable solution for all parties must be reached.”

Lavrov also said at a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart that if President Macron is ready for dialogue, President Putin is also prepared to communicate. Europe, with its current stance, is not required as a third party in communications between Russia and the United States. Moscow supports the principle of indivisible security, which prevents any attempts to pursue a military path.

Regarding the idea of deploying a multinational force led by Europe in Ukraine, Lavrov described it as a provocative attempt to exploit Ukrainian territory and a threat to Russia. Moscow is concerned about EU discussions on “security guarantees for Kyiv” and emphasizes the importance of collective guarantees.

Lavrov added that Russia feels it enjoys the support of the global majority for joint cooperation with the United States regarding Ukraine. Russia is committed to a political solution in Ukraine, but at present, the United States is the only party prepared to facilitate it.

At the joint press conference in Cairo after talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Lavrov said: “European leaders have so far made numerous statements promoting what they claim to be achievements from their discussions. However, we must remain skeptical, as one of the central topics of these talks concerns security guarantees for Kyiv.”

According to Sputnik News Agency, the Russian Foreign Minister further stated: “I remind you that we advocate collective security guarantees based on principles repeatedly approved at the highest levels within the framework of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).”

He continued, stressing that this is no longer merely a matter of “security guarantees” but constitutes an “aggressive attempt” to seize Ukrainian territory as a threat to Russia.

The Russian Foreign Minister emphasized that Moscow supports the principle of indivisible security based on fair and equal conditions.

He stated: “Security should not, contrary to Europe’s approach, pave the way for another war, but should ensure that any attempt to pursue a military path is neutralized.