Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sunday over his remarks regarding a potential Israeli airstrike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
After meeting with Iranian officials in the capital Tehran, Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN’s nuclear agency, said Saturday that “any military attack on a nuclear facility is outlawed.”
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His remarks came after a question by a reporter on Israeli and US threats to attack Iran if talks to reign in its nuclear program are unsuccessful.
Speaking during a Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu denounced Grossi’s remarks, saying “Rafael Grossi is a worthy gentleman who said something unworthy.”
“Against which law? Is Iran, which openly calls for our destruction, permitted to defend the destructive weapons that would slaughter us? Are we permitted to defend ourselves?” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office cited Netanyahu as saying during the meeting.
“It is clear that we are and it is clear that we will do so. And we will do so in discussions or actions around the clock, which I will not detail here, of course.”
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Grossi paid a two-day visit to Tehran on Friday to resolve issues that are obstructing the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and Western powers.
During his meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Grossi was quoted as saying that “ill-wishers” are not in favor of bilateral cooperation between the IAEA and Iran, without elaborating.