Austria Bars Iranian Official from IAEA Conference in Vienna

Austria did not allow Iran’s vice president for nuclear affairs and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, to attend the IAEA General Conference in Vienna. This was reported by the Jerusalem Post, recounting a Bloomberg report citing an anonymous US official.

According to the official, Eslami was expected to speak at the opening of the UN nuclear watchdog’s annual conference. Iran’s Mehr agency had previously reported that he left Tehran to attend the event.

A spokesperson for the Austrian government referred Bloomberg’s inquiry to the Foreign Ministry. The ministry did not respond to the agency’s request for comment.

The unnamed US official claims that Austria’s decision was made after pressure from the administration of US President Donald Trump. According to the official, Washington insisted that Eslami not be granted a sanctions exemption that the UN had requested for his entry into Austria.

A lower-ranking Iranian representative may still speak at the conference later this week. At the same time, according to Bloomberg, barring Eslami prevented one of Iran’s highest-ranking nuclear officials from addressing participants at the opening of the event.
Statements by the US and the IAEA

The dispute arose after IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that the agency had been “completely blind” regarding Iran’s nuclear program since at least June 2025. He also reported construction activity near Mount Pikex, recorded in satellite images.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright is expected to call on Tehran to fully cooperate with the IAEA, fulfill its safeguards obligations, and provide the agency with the necessary access. As the Jerusalem Post notes, Washington’s pressure follows a resolution by the IAEA Board of Governors, which informed the UN Security Council of Iran’s violations of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. - UA News