Iran's Nuclear Chief Barred from IAEA Meeting by US Pressure

Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran's nuclear agency, was prevented from attending the annual general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna due to a travel ban imposed by the United Nations. Eslami's request for a waiver of the sanctions was denied, leading to accusations from Iranian officials, including Behrouz Kamalvandi, of "bullying political pressure" from the United States.

The Austrian foreign ministry confirmed that it had sought an exemption for Eslami, but the Security Council rejected the request due to a lack of consensus. Eslami had previously attended the IAEA conference last year, where he delivered a speech on behalf of Iran.

In response to the barring of Eslami, Iran summoned Austria’s charge d’affaires, with foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei labeling the decision as unjustified and attributing it to American influence. The incident reflects ongoing tensions between Iran and Western powers regarding nuclear weapons allegations, which Iran denies.