IAEA has no powers to force Russia to leave ZNPP - Grossi

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"Again, the IAEA does not have the powers to enforce resolutions, and even less, resolutions that would imply using military force, because what you are telling me is that we should expel people from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. So, this is beyond [the IAEA's powers]," Grossi said, when asked how the IAEA plans to ensure the implementation of its resolutions, especially regarding the immediate withdrawal of unauthorized personnel from ZNPP.

In addition, he stressed that the adopted resolutions "are not saying that the IAEA should do that."

"The resolutions are saying that Russia should leave the plant. They are not saying that the IAEA is enforcing this; no international organization has the capacity to do this," Grossi said.

According to him, the issue of Russia's presence in the organization was discussed at the IAEA, and many participating countries, as well as the agency's decision-making bodies, condemned Russian actions in Ukraine.

"We know that the position of countries is very clear. Many, many countries condemn, and don't forget there have been resolutions approved by the Board of Governors and the General Conference of the IAEA, which include censure of the actions undertaken by Russia. So, the policy-making organs of the IAEA have not stayed silent," Grossi said.

Commenting on the issue of punishing Russia under the IAEA Statute for the seizure of the Ukrainian ZNPP, he stated that "this is an issue that is not for the Director General to look into," but "it's for the member states, for the countries."

"There are possibilities, for example, and this has happened in the past, to suspend technical cooperation for countries that, for whatever reason, might be found in disregard of the Statute of the IAEA. This has been considered. My understanding is that member states, for some of the reasons I mentioned, don't believe that this kind of action would be useful," Grossi said.

ZNPP has been under occupation since March 4, 2022. Over this time, the Russians repeatedly violated the principles of nuclear safety, placing military equipment at the nuclear station, mining its territory and terrorizing the personnel. The invaders ignore the IAEA's decision to return ZNPP to the control of Ukraine's Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom.