Experienced Argentine diplomat Rafael Mariano Grossi, the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has formally announced his intention to run for the post of United Nations secretary-general.
“I will be a candidate for UN secretary-general,” said Grossi, 64, as he confirmed his desire at a press conference in Washington on Wednesday.
Grossi, the head of the IAEA, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, has long been tipped to make a bid for the position, the world’s highest diplomatic post.
During his most recent visit to Buenos Aires in April, he publicly flirted with the idea, but said a final decision had not been taken.
He would be the second Latin American to hold the post, should he win the election, after Peru’s Javier Pérez de Cuéllar.
“The wheel has begun to spin,” said Grossi, explaining that the process to finalise his candidacy would be set in motion “in the coming weeks.”
The secretary-general seat will become vacant in January 2027, when Portuguese diplomat António Guterres’ term in office ends. Election leads to a five-year term, with the possibility for re-election.
The position is often “rotated” informally between regions, by unwritten tradition, and an Ibero-American is expected to take up the chair in 2027. The previous two terms have been served by a European. Given the influence of the United States at the UN, Washington is not expected to put up a candidate.
During his press conference, Grossi revealed that he brokered the subject of his nomination at a meeting held with US secretary of State Marco Rubio.
However, there is no formal agreement over who comes next and UN Security Council permanent members have the power to veto any candidate.
Though there is no formal procedure, applicants usually announce their candidacy with the backing of one or more member states.
Career diplomat
Grossi is a career diplomat with experience in the field of nuclear energy and non-proliferation. Prior to taking on the direction of the IAEA, he served for six years as Argentina’s ambassador to Austria, in addition to working as cabinet chief both at the IAEA and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Born in Buenos Aires in 1961, Grossi took on the direction of the IAEA in December 2019, becoming the first Latin American to hold that post. The agency, based in Vienna, Austria, is in charge of protecting the peaceful use of nuclear energy around the world.
His election was considered to be something a milestone – up until then the body had been dominated by Europeans and Asians.
Trained in Political Science at the Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA), Grossi earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in International Relations and History at the Graduate Institute in Geneva. He joined the Argentine diplomatic corps in 1985 and his career since has been defined by technical rigour and multilateral diplomacy.
Grossi gained international visibility during the Ukraine war, personally heading IAEA missions to the Zaporiyia nuclear plant, occupied by Russian troops. In a high-risk scenario, the diplomat and his team were on occasion trapped in the middle of a crossfire. His insistence on the need to establish a protection area around the nuclear plant was a constant demand, reflecting his desire to position the agency as a key player in the prevention of a potential
catastrophe.
Another high point came during negotiations with Iran to limit its nuclear programme. In June 2025, after the IAEA reported undeclared nuclear activities in Iran, Israel attacked Tehran to the anger of top officials. Following threats to his life, Austria provided him with permanent security and an armoured vehicle.
Grossi’s style combines a bureaucrat’s accuracy with the determination of a negotiator willing to expose himself on the ground. Under his administration, the IAEA has faced specific crises and reaffirmed his role as arbiter in a world where nuclear threat is once again gaining relevance.
President Javier Milei’s government has been silent to date on a potential Grossi candidacy. Most running for the position of UN chief have the support of their home nation, which campaigns for them during negotiations with other nations to build support.
– TIMES/PERFIL
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