Cornel Feruta, acting director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), gives a speech at the 63rd IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Austria, Sept. 16, 2019. The 63rd International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference started amid heightened tensions over the Iran nuclear deal at the Vienna International Centre (VIC) here on Monday. (Photo: Xinhua)

Argentina's Rafael Grossi has secured the backing of enough countries on the UN nuclear watchdog's board to become the head of the agency, succeeding Yukiya Amano after he died in office, diplomats who followed the vote on Tuesday said.

Grossi, 58, is currently Argentina's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEAE) and a veteran of nuclear diplomacy. He was in a close-fought race against Romania's Cornel Feruta, formerly Amano's right-hand man and currently the IAEA's acting director-general.