TEHRAN – A senior Iranian judiciary official has said that Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), could potentially face prosecution in absentia for his role in enabling recent U.S. and Israeli military aggression against Iran.

The official emphasized that the case would require review and action through international legal mechanisms.

Speaking on the sidelines of the "American Human Rights from the Viewpoint of the Leader" congress, Hojjatoleslam Ali Mozaffari, Deputy Head of Iran’s Judiciary, addressed a range of legal and political concerns stemming from the recent 12-day war launched by Israel with U.S. backing.

Mozaffari asserted that the hegemonic powers, particularly the United States, have consistently demonstrated hostility toward any independent nation's progress — especially that of the Islamic Republic of Iran. "The American-led hegemonic system cannot tolerate the scientific, political, or economic advancement of any other nation. Our peaceful nuclear and missile achievements, as well as the broader development that has taken place since the Islamic Revolution, are viewed by them as intolerable threats,” he said.

He argued that Washington and its allies seek to monopolize scientific and technological progress by tying it to their own strategic interests. “Scientific progress is a universal human value — it should not be subject to the political agenda of any regime. But the West only acknowledges such progress when it serves their interests,” Mozaffari stated. 

“When Iran, as an independent Islamic system, proves that it can succeed on its own terms, it becomes a model for neighboring countries — and that is exactly what the hegemonic powers fear.”

Mozaffari also criticized efforts to tarnish Iran’s international standing through baseless accusations of human rights violations and nuclear weapons development. “These accusations have long lacked evidence, but were nonetheless used as pretexts to justify the brutal 12-day military assault on Iran — an aggression that led to the martyrdom of senior Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists, as well as the deaths of innocent civilians, including women and children,” he said.

He condemned the bombing of Iran’s national broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), noting that it violates international conventions protecting independent media. “This institution was targeted precisely because it was exposing the atrocities of the aggressors. It was an attempt to silence the voice of justice — but they failed. The truth was heard, and the resistance of the Iranian people stood strong.”

On the legal front, Mozaffari revealed that various departments within the Iranian Judiciary, particularly the International Law Division, are now actively gathering documentation to pursue international legal claims. “We are preparing formal complaints to present to international bodies, seeking material and moral compensation for the damages inflicted on Iran as a result of the U.S.-Israeli aggression,” he said.

Addressing the possible prosecution of Rafael Grossi, Mozaffari stated that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of Iran’s international legal affairs and must be carefully examined within that framework. However, he emphasized that Grossi must be held accountable if it is proven that his conduct and reports facilitated acts of aggression.

“When someone prepares the ground for war crimes through biased and deceptive reports, they cannot expect immunity. Accountability is essential,” he said.

Mozaffari expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of international organizations in defending the rights of oppressed nations. “Unfortunately, history shows that global institutions have rarely taken meaningful action in defense of the oppressed. But despite this track record, Iran has a legal duty to pursue justice, and we will fulfill that duty,” he concluded.

As Israel launched strikes on Iran’s civilian nuclear infrastructure and carried out targeted assassinations of its scientists, Rafael Grossi’s failure to condemn the attacks—and his continued silence—was widely seen as implicit approval.

When the United States entered the conflict on June 22, deploying bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles against Iran’s key nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Grossi again refrained from issuing any criticism. Instead, he demanded that Tehran grant IAEA inspectors immediate access to the damaged facilities.

Tensions escalated further following a June 25 interview Grossi gave to Fox News, in which he speculated that around 900 pounds of enriched uranium were missing. He also refused to dismiss the possibility that the material could be hidden at a so-called “ancient site” near Isfahan—a remark that many Iranians interpreted as an attempt to justify future strikes on cultural heritage locations.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf condemned Grossi’s remarks, describing his call for inspections of bombed facilities as “provocative and absurd,” and accused the IAEA of having compromised its integrity on the global stage.

In direct response, Iran’s parliament voted unanimously on June 25 to suspend all inspections by the IAEA until the agency can provide credible guarantees for the safety of Iran’s peaceful nuclear infrastructure.