Iran Summons Austrian Diplomat Over Nuclear Chief’s IAEA Visa Denial
By The Media Line Staff
Iran condemned Austria on Monday for denying a visa to nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami, preventing him from attending an International Atomic Energy Agency conference (IAEA) in Vienna.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei confirmed the visa refusal and called Austria’s decision “absolutely unjustified,” Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported.
Tehran formally protested the move and summoned Austria’s charge d’affaires, Baghaei said. He argued that pressure from the United States should not prevent countries hosting international organizations from meeting their obligations.
Eslami, who heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, had planned to travel with an Iranian delegation to Vienna on Saturday. The group instead returned to Tehran, according to IRIB.
Iran was not represented at the conference, marking the first time in years that it did not participate.
An official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Austria had sought a waiver from the UN sanctions committee to allow Eslami to travel but the request was not granted, ABC reported.
The dispute comes as the IAEA remains unable to inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities. Tehran has denied agency inspectors access to its nuclear sites since the conflict with Israel and the United States began in February, despite its legal obligation to cooperate with the watchdog under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
The IAEA has also been unable to determine the status of Iran’s stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the June bombing.
According to the agency, Iran possesses 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched to as much as 60% purity.
That level remains below the 90% enrichment generally considered weapons-grade, but reaching it from 60% would require only a short technical step.
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