Iran's mission to the United Nations signaled its opposition to the head of world body's nuclear watchdog becoming UN secretary general next year, saying Rafael Grossi's silence on US-Israeli attacks on Iran showed he did not value international law.
The replacement for António Guterres is due to be chosen next year and serve from 2027 to 2031. Argentina last month named its native son Grossi, 64, to fill the position and he is considered a top contender.
Since 2019, Grossi has led the International Atomic Energy Agency as it attempted to manage the still festering Iran nuclear dossier, which came to a head last year with surprise US and Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear sites in a 12-day war in June.
Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani appeared to single Grossi out without naming him in remarks to the Security Council on Wednesday.
“A candidate who has deliberately failed to uphold the UN Charter—or to condemn unlawful military attacks against safeguarded, peaceful nuclear facilities," he said, "undermines confidence in his ability to serve as a faithful guardian of the Charter and to discharge his duties independently, impartially and without political bias or fear of powerful States, as required under the Charter.”
Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon but Israel and Western states doubt its intentions, especially after Grossi's IAEA flagged in the months running up to the conflict that Iran's enrichment activities were ramping up.
The country's uranium stock refined to up to 60% had hit nearly 275 kilograms, Grossi warned, which according to an IAEA yardstick was enough in principle for six nuclear bombs if enriched further.
No civilian purpose existed for such activities, Grossi warned.
The United States held five rounds of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program earlier this year, for which US President Donald Trump set a 60-day deadline.
When no agreement was reached by the 61st day on June 13, Israel launched a surprise military offensive followed by US strikes on June 22 targeting key nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow.
The attacks killed nuclear scientists along with hundreds of military personnel and civilians. Iranian counterattacks killed 32 Israeli civilians and an off-duty soldier.
Grossi did not offer any assessment of the conflict but has worked to try to restore inspections of stricken sites in an effort Iran has largely opposed as diplomacy stays in a deep post-war freeze.
The United Nations has struggled to influence conflicts which have raged in the Middle East and Europe in recent years, earning the ire of both its critics and advocates who hope it can play a greater role in multilateral peace efforts.
Iran's intervention appeared to be the most substantive challenge yet to Grossi's bid.
Iravani said a UN secretary-general must have “a clear and non-derogable responsibility” to safeguard member states' rights and their equal participation in the global system.
“Failure to do so weakens the United Nations and erodes the principle of sovereign equality at the heart of the UN system,” he said.
The messaging emerged even as Iran's foreign ministry issued a formal condemnation of the shooting at a Hanukkah event in Sydney that killed 16 people and injured 40 others.
Tasnim News, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, ran the story under the headline “At Least 10 Zionists Slain in Hanukkah Festival in Australia,” in what appeared to be a celebration of the deaths.
The IRGC-affiliated Sabereen News also hailed the killing of British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, calling him "a staunch supporter of Gaza genocide who had met Zionist soldiers to voice his support for their war against Gaza."
Fellow IRGC outlet Fars News described the incident as a “murky story,” questioning the plausibility of a lone or independent attack. The outlet wrote: “It's not normal for individuals to open fire on hundreds of people at a public celebration,” framing the shooting as a product of “widespread anti-Zionist sentiments” and invoking the October 7 attack on Israel.
State-run Mehr News Agency advanced a more explicit accusation. Its headline read: “The primary suspect in the attack on Jews in Australia is the Zionist regime,” presenting the violence as a “false-flag” operation allegedly designed to serve Israeli interests.
IRGC general calls Israel 'sole beneficiary'
The narrative was reinforced by comments from Mohammad Reza Naghdi, a senior IRGC general and top adviser to the force’s chief commander, who publicly argued that Israel was the sole beneficiary of the attack.
In a lengthy statement published by Fars News, Naghdi asked: “Who benefits from the Sydney incident?” before asserting: “The answer is clear. The only one who benefits from the Sydney incident is the Zionist regime.”
Naghdi framed the shooting as a strategic move to suppress pro-Gaza activism in Australia, claiming Sydney had become one of the most prominent centers of “anti-Zionist” demonstrations in the West.
He questioned whether the attack would “facilitate anti-Zionist protests by the people of Sydney or open the hand of the Australian police to suppress them,” and suggested that portraying Jewish communities as unsafe would serve Israeli political goals.
He also raised a series of rhetorical questions about why the attackers targeted civilians and a place of worship rather than Israeli-linked businesses, shipping interests, or Israeli soldiers visiting Australia. “Why were ordinary people and a place of worship targeted?” Naghdi asked, concluding that any act diverting attention from Gaza ultimately “helps the Zionists.”
Outlets often labeled as moderate echoed similar themes in their reporting. Tabnak portrayed the shooting as a “false flag” meant to “revive Israel's antisemitism narrative” and warned of possible repercussions for Tehran, accusing Israel of “seeking to exploit the situation.”
Beyond official outlets and senior figures, Islamic Republic supporters and online commentators circulated celebratory and openly antisemitic reactions, according to social media posts monitored on Sunday. These responses praised the attack or dismissed it as staged, amplifying hostility toward Jews while denying responsibility for the violence.
Australia severed diplomatic ties with Tehran in August, accusing Iran of involvement in threats and attacks against Jewish communities.
Also in November, the country officially designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism.
