The Argentine Rafael Grossi has put himself forward as a candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the UN.

Rafael Grossi, current Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has officially confirmed that he will run as a candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations.

During a press conference in Washington, the Argentine diplomat announced that he will soon begin the formal process to compete for the position currently held by António Guterres, whose term ends in January 2027.

Grossi stated that the "wheel has started to turn" and mentioned that he has already discussed his candidacy with the U.S. Secretary of State,Marco Rubio, in a recent meeting.

Who is Rafael Grossi

Grossi, born in Buenos Aires in 1961, is a diplomat with an extensive background in international security and nuclear policy. Since December 2019, he has led the IAEA, becoming the first Latin American to hold this position, which has traditionally been dominated by Europeans or Asians.

Under his leadership, the agency has faced some of the most delicate challenges in recent years, including the nuclear crisis resulting from the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as ongoing tensions with Iran regarding its nuclear activities.

Educated in Political Science at the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, Grossi completed postgraduate studies at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, where he earned a master's degree and a doctorate in International Relations and History.

He joined the Argentine diplomatic service in 1985 and has held numerous significant positions in both multilateral organizations and bilateral representations.

Among his most prominent positions are Chief of Staff at the IAEA and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, in addition to having served as Argentina's ambassador to Austria from 2013 to 2019.

Throughout his career, Grossi has led key initiatives in disarmament and non-proliferation. He chaired the Nuclear Suppliers Group and led the diplomatic conference that resulted in the Vienna Declaration on Nuclear Safety.

He was also appointed to lead the 2020 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, although this event was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grossi's role in international conflicts

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Grossi became a central figure in nuclear risk management. He has personally led several visits to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, currently under Russian control, where his IAEA teams have worked under extremely tense conditions.

His insistence on establishing a security zone around this plant has been one of his priorities, underscoring his commitment to preventing a nuclear catastrophe amid the conflict.

Meanwhile, his firm stance toward Iran has caused friction with the Tehran regime, especially after the IAEA detected signs of undeclared nuclear activities. As a result, in June 2025, Austrian authorities reinforced Grossi's security in response to direct threats from senior Iranian officials.

With a style marked by discretion, technical firmness, and negotiating skill, Grossi has managed to consolidate his profile as a reliable international actor in times of great uncertainty.

His candidacy is emerging as a strong option, especially because, according to the unwritten practices of the UN, the next Secretary-General should be a representative from Latin America, a region that has not held this position since the term of Peruvian Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1982–1991).