IAEA chief Rafael Grossi to revisit Ukraine and Russia imminently

Published connected 28/05/2025 - 17:35 GMT+2•Updated 17:38

The caput of nan International Atomic Energy Agency said he will recreation to Kyiv successful nan adjacent fewer days amid reports that Russian troops are building powerfulness lines to nexus nan Zaporizhzhia atomic powerfulness works to its grid.

"I can say that, in the next few days, I will go to Kyiv again and perhaps also to Russia," Rafael Grossi told Euronews speaking to a group of world reporters astatine nan week agelong seminar successful Vienna.

The New York Times has precocious reported that Russian forces are building powerfulness lines connected temporarily occupied territories successful south-eastern Ukraine. Evidence gathered by Greenpeace and outer images show caller energy lines and pylons betwixt nan occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Berdyansk connected nan Azov oversea coast, which appeared since February 2025.

According to Greenpeace it proves that Moscow is consenting to restart and utilization nan largest atomic powerfulness works successful Europe, which has been unopen down. The IAEA is concerned astir this possibility.

"The front continues to be extremely active, so military operations are ongoing in the relative vicinity of the of the plant," Grossi told Euronews.

“We are concerned astir this, we are pursuing that. As you know, we person a imperishable beingness astatine nan plant. And we are going to beryllium continuing our discussions pinch both, successful peculiar pinch nan Russians, connected this," he said, adding that nan thought of restarting of nan works "is a matter that requires very observant information and possibly very thorough information evaluation. So this is 1 of nan points I americium going to beryllium discussing pinch them complete nan adjacent fewer days.” 

US-Iran deal

The Argentinian diplomat - who visited Tehran successful April - is besides cautiously pursuing nan talks betwixt nan US management and Iran. Grossi said he was successful regular interaction pinch Foreign Minister Al Aghji and that one of his deputies is today in Tehran. 

"Depending on the day, there are days where things look a bit better," said Grossi, but he added that immoderate days President Trump is saying one thing, then the Iranians reply with another.

Any US-Iran woody should see nan scope for 'robust' IAEA inspections, Grossi said, reiterating caller comments that statement without nan IAEA would conscionable beryllium a "piece of paper".

Grossi called nan talks a bully motion but insisted that “the assemblage is still out” connected negotiations betwixt Iran and nan US complete Tehran's advancing atomic programme.

The Trump management is presently holding talks to effort to extremity Iran from pursuing done pinch atomic activities. Back successful 2016, nan Trump management withdrew from nan 2015 Iran atomic deal.

UN apical job

Grossi was asked whether his early plans see liking successful replacing Antonio Guterres arsenic UN main erstwhile his word comes to an extremity successful December 2026.

"What I have said to colleagues in other parts of the world is that I'm seriously considering, that, yes. But for the moment, I'm here, and I have as you can see from this discussion, I have a lot on my plate," he said.