Rubio condemns Iran's 'unacceptable' threats against IAEA director

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said alleged calls in Iran for the arrest and execution of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi are "unacceptable and should be condemned."

Rubio's warning came after Iranian parliament vice speaker Hamid Reza Haji Babaei banned Grossi and removed surveillance from its nuclear facilities, accusing Israel of acquiring "sensitive facility data," according to a report from Mehr news.

"We support the lAEA's critical verification and monitoring efforts in Iran and commend the Director General and the lAEA for their dedication and professionalism," Rubio wrote in an X post. "We call on Iran to provide for the safety and security of IAEA personnel."

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, second from left, and the deputy chief of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Behrouz Kamalvandi, far right, pose for a photo at the Natanz nuclear site in Isfahan, Iran, Nov. 15, 2024. (Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran/WANA/Reuters)

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The lAEA this week commented on damage at Iranian nuclear facilities, following U.S. airstrikes on key nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

While speaking on Fox News’ "The Story with Martha MacCallum," Grossi said Isfahan and Natanz were damaged, with Natanz showing "very serious damage" in one of the centrifuge halls where enrichment was being performed.

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Though a ceasefire agreement was made between Israel and Iran, Grossi alleged 900 pounds of potentially enriched uranium had been taken to an ancient site near Isfahan.

"I have to be very precise, Martha," Grossi said. "We are the IAEA, so we are not speculating here. We do not have information of the whereabouts of this material."

He claimed Iranian officials had told him they were taking protective measures, which could include moving the material.

Assassination threats have allegedly been made against International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi. (Reuters/Leonhard Foeger/File Photo)

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"My job is to try to see where is this material, because Iran has an obligation to report and account for all the material that they have, and this is going to continue to be my work," Grossi said.

President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Tehran signed with the U.S., U.K., European Union, France, Germany and Russia in 2018, prompting Iranian threats to remove cameras and limit access to its facilities.

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Rubio did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.