Tehran (TDI): Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami was prevented from attending an annual conference at the headquarters of the UN nuclear agency in Vienna on Monday, with Tehran blaming US pressure for the move.
Iranian state television reported that Eslami and his delegation had travelled to Vienna on Saturday on a regular flight but were unable to attend the meeting due to what it described as US-led obstruction.
“Mohammad Eslami and his delegation took a regular flight to Vienna on Saturday, but were blocked on the way because of obstructions by the United States,” the broadcaster reported, adding that the nuclear chief subsequently returned to Tehran.
Iranian authorities also summoned Austria’s charge d’affaires on Monday after Vienna refused to issue visas to the Iranian delegation.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described the decision as unjustified and said Tehran believed the move had been made under pressure from Washington.
Read More: Hormuz Deal Now Faces a Gulf Consensus Problem, Not Just a US-Iran One
“The Austrian government’s refusal to issue visas to the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a completely unjustified decision,” Baghaei said during a press conference in Tehran.
“It is clear to us that this incident occurred under American pressure, but that does not absolve the Austrian government of responsibility,” he added.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and its relations with Western countries. Eslami heads Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and has been closely involved in Tehran’s nuclear policy and engagement with international nuclear authorities.
Read More: BRICS and Iran: Can a Bigger Bloc Survive Its Own Contradictions?
The Vienna meeting was being held at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where Iran’s nuclear activities and cooperation with the agency remain closely watched amid continuing diplomatic tensions.
