Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
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Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi announced he intends to visit Tehran through a letter he addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iranian Mehr Agency reported that Grossi sent a congratulatory message to the Iranian president-elect, which stated: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on your election win as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“Cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been at the focal attention of the international circles for many years. I am confident that, together, we will be able to make decisive progress on this crucial matter.”

“To that effect, I wish to express my readiness to travel to Iran to meet with you at the earliest convenience,” Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Grossi as saying.

The meeting – should it take place - will be the first for Pezeshkian, who had pledged during his election campaign to be open to the West to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue.

Last week, American and Israeli officials told the Axios news site that Washington sent a secret warning to Tehran last month regarding its fears of Iranian research and development activities that might be used to produce nuclear weapons.

In May, Grossi expressed his dissatisfaction with the course of the talks he held over two days in Iran in an effort to resolve outstanding matters.

Since the death of the former Iranian president, Ibrahim Raisi, the IAEA chief refrained from raising the Iranian nuclear file, while European sources said that Tehran had asked to “freeze discussions” until the internal situation was arranged and a new president was elected.



Beijing Complains to Tokyo about ‘Negative’ China References in Japan, US Communique

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)
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Beijing Complains to Tokyo about ‘Negative’ China References in Japan, US Communique

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba holds a picture with US President Donald Trump during a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, US, February 7, 2025. (Reuters)

China's foreign ministry said on Monday it had complained to Japan over "negative" references to China in a statement issued after a meeting between the leaders of Japan and the United States.

The "stern representations" and "strong dissatisfaction" was conveyed by the Department of Asian Affairs Director-General Liu Jinsong to the Japanese embassy's Chargé d'Affaires in Beijing, who explained to Liu Japan's position and reiterated the country's stance on its various concerns.

The embassy's statement did not elaborate on the discussions.

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first meeting last week in Washington.

According to a joint statement released by the White House, the two leaders expressed views opposing China's military actions in the South and East China Seas.

They also called for "maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait", and voiced support for "Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations."

Asked about the joint statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun accused it of "attacking and discrediting" China and said it was "open interference in China's internal affairs". The statement exacerbated regional tensions, he added.

"We urge the United States and Japan to abide by the one-China principle and their own commitments and immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs," Guo said.

China views democratically-ruled Taiwan its own territory, and has staged several rounds of war games around the island in recent years to pressure Taipei.

Taiwan's government, which strongly objects to Beijing's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future, welcomed the joint Japan-US communique.

"We will remain steadfast in cooperating with the US, Japan and other global partners to advance regional peace and prosperity," President Lai Ching-te said in a post on X.