Iran has accused the United States of pressuring Austria to prevent its nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, from attending the International Atomic Energy Agency’s annual conference in Vienna.
Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation, was due to attend the IAEA General Conference, which opened in Vienna on Monday. However, Austria was unable to secure a United Nations exemption allowing him to enter the country despite an existing UN travel ban.
Austria’s Foreign Ministry said it had requested a waiver for Eslami but that the UN Security Council sanctions committee rejected the request because there was no consensus.
Iranian officials condemned the decision, accusing Washington of using political pressure to prevent Eslami from attending the meeting. Behrouz Kamalvandi, a senior Iranian nuclear official, described the move as “bullying political pressure” and warned that it could set a precedent affecting other countries.
The United States defended its position, with its representative arguing that Eslami’s participation could be used for propaganda and undermine efforts by the IAEA to ensure Iran’s compliance with its nuclear obligations.
The dispute comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Western powers over Iran’s nuclear programme and its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful, while the United States and its allies have continued to raise concerns over Tehran’s nuclear activities and restrictions on international inspections.
The latest diplomatic dispute further highlights the strained relations between Iran and the United States as efforts to resolve the long-running nuclear standoff remain uncertain.
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