In a letter dated November 10 to UN Secretary General António Guterres, President of the UN Security Council Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Araqchi denounced the US announcement as a reckless attempt to encourage espionage targeting Iran’s nuclear installations, equipment and scientists.
He also urged the UN Security Council to address the threat to international peace and security and called on the IAEA to protect the confidentiality and independence of its safeguards system against the misuse of sensitive information.
What follows is the text of his letter:
In the name of God, the compassionate the merciful
Excellency,
I have the honour to bring to your urgent attention the recent appalling announcement by the United States Government offering a reward of up to US$20 million, together with possible relocation, in exchange for information concerning Iran's nuclear programme, including its associated personnel, members of its scientific community, facilities and equipment.
The announcement, publicly made on 6-7 November 2026 through the United States Department of State's so-called Rewards for Justice programme and disseminated by the United States Central Command, raises grave concerns regarding its implications for the security and integrity of the peaceful nuclear programme of a Member State to the NPT. The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns in the strongest terms this reckless announcement and considers it particularly alarming in light of the fact that it explicitly encourages the provision of clandestine intelligence gathering concerning nuclear installations and material, technical equipment and scientific personnel. Such an approach risks encouraging espionage and the targeting of nuclear scientists and technical personnel. It also raises serious concerns regarding the security of nuclear installations and the safety of individuals engaged in peaceful nuclear activities.
The right of States to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, without discrimination and in conformity with their international obligations, is a right firmly recognized under Article IV of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). No State should seek to undermine another State's lawful peaceful nuclear activities through coercive measures, clandestine interference or activities that threaten the security of its nuclear installations and scientific community.
The public solicitation of intelligence concerning nuclear facilities, equipment and associated personnel of a sovereign State, particularly where such facilities are subject to safeguards, raises serious questions concerning credibility, integrity and reliability of the IAEA safeguards system.
One immediate impact of such disturbing announcement by the United States is that normal safeguards implementation cannot be demanded while the very facilities, personnel, and sensitive information it relies upon are exposed to acts of assassination, sabotage and aggression.
Nuclear facilities subject to the IAEA safeguards are not outside the purview of international law, nor does their placement under safeguards diminish the sovereign rights of the State concerned. The solicitation of intelligence concerning safeguarded installations, their technical configurations, equipment, operations and associated personnel risks creating an environment in which safeguards-related information could be exploited for purposes entirely unrelated to the Agency's verification mandate. It is essential that the Agency's safeguards system not be instrumentalized or compromised by intelligence-gathering activities of the United States in this particular case.
The explicit inclusion of nuclear scientists and technical personnel in the United States abhorrent reward announcement is a matter of grave concern. Scientific and technical personnel engaged in peaceful nuclear activities must be able to perform their professional responsibilities without intimidation, threats, coercion or exposure to activities that could endanger their lives and personal security. The international community has a shared responsibility to promote the safety and security of nuclear installations and personnel, and to prevent actions that could increase the risk of sabotage, unlawful interference or premeditated incidents with potentially serious radiological and humanitarian consequences.
In view of the foregoing, the Islamic Republic of Iran requests the United Nations Secretary General, the UN Security Council and the Director General of the IAEA to openly and unequivocally condemn this repulsive announcement. The Secretary General and the Security Council are also urged to:
i. Immediately draw the attention of international community to the grave implications of the United States announcement on maintaining international peace and security;
ii. Pursue their Charter-based responsibilities on addressing the threats that the US conduct poses to the safety and security of the nuclear installations, equipment and associated personnel; and to hold the United States accountable for its unceasing wrongful acts.
Furthermore, the IAEA Director General is specifically called to:
i. Reaffirm the importance of safeguarding the confidentiality, impartiality and institutional independence of the Agency's safeguards activities;
ii. Take all necessary measures, within the Agency's statutory mandate, to ensure that safeguards-related information and knowledge obtained in the course of the Agency's activities are not disclosed, misused or exploited for purposes inconsistent with the Agency's mandate. Special attention should be made on ensuring the safety and security of nuclear scientists and personnel.
iii. Bring the matter to the attention of the IAEA Board of Governors and consider the necessary institutional measures to address its implications.
I should be grateful if you would have the present letter circulated as an official document of the Security Council and the IAEA information circular.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.