Claim: A GNN news clip shared on social media claims that the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), General Rafael Mariano Grossi, is visiting Pakistan.
Fact: The claim is misleading as the news is old. The actual news is from February 2023, when Grossi visited Pakistan.
On 15 March 2024, a Facebook page, Lt. Gen Faiz Hameed Fan Club, posted a video with the caption, “Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the IAEA visited Pakistan, discussing nuclear cooperation and climate change mitigation. Meetings with top officials focused on enhancing collaboration in peaceful nuclear technology. Grossi inaugurated various nuclear facilities and designated Pakistan as an IAEA Regional Center for cancer treatment. Highlighting nuclear energy’s role in combating climate change, his visit concluded with a dinner hosted by the Foreign Secretary.”
The minute-long video includes the logo for news outlet GNN and a “breaking news” banner. In it, the head of the UN nuclear agency shakes hands with former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check conducted a keyword search on Google and found the same footage posted by GNN on their official YouTube channel here on 15 February 2023, as part of a video titled “FM Bilawal Bhutto Meets DG (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi | Breaking News | GNN”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also posted about the visit on the official website on 16 February 2023; The press release title reads, “Pakistan and IAEA Accelerate Nuclear Cooperation to Address Climate, Food and Health”. The press release confirms that Grossi met former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Islamabad, where they discussed “ the role of nuclear applications in dealing with climate change, water, energy and food security”.
Furthermore, in a press release on 15 March 2024, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rebuffed the news that Grossi visited the country in March this year. It also states that the Director General IAEA visited Pakistan in February 2023.
Virality
On X (formerly Twitter) a similar video was misleadingly shared here and here.
It can also be seen here and here on Facebook.
Conclusion: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general did not visit Pakistan in March 2024. The news video of GNN is old and from February 2023.
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Background image in cover photo: IAEA website
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