Wednesday, September 16, 2026

US blocks Iranian nuclear chief from IAEA meeting

US - Iran news
Image – iaea.org.

Iran has accused the United States of breaching international law after its nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, was prevented from attending a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna.

Eslami, who heads the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was unable to participate in the gathering after Washington refused to approve an exemption from sanctions-related travel restrictions, according to Iranian media.

Iran’s mission in Vienna condemned the decision, arguing that Austria, as host of the IAEA, is required under its headquarters agreement with the agency to facilitate access for representatives of member states.



Austria had sought an exemption from the relevant UN Security Council sanctions committee to allow Eslami to travel, but the request was rejected, according to Austria’s representative to international organisations in Vienna, Christian Ebner.

Iranian envoy Reza Najafi described the decision as a serious infringement of Tehran’s rights as an IAEA member. Russia also criticised the move, with its Vienna-based envoy Mikhail Ulyanov accusing Western countries of engaging in what he described as “visa lawlessness” and arguing that Austria had failed to meet its obligations as host country.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the decision, saying Eslami remained subject to sanctions and Washington did not want those restrictions circumvented through a waiver.

The dispute comes amid continued tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran. The United States is demanding that Iran dismantle its nuclear programme and maintains that Tehran must never be permitted to develop nuclear weapons. Iran insists its uranium enrichment activities are peaceful and says its civilian nuclear programme is a sovereign right.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi nevertheless signalled that the agency remains willing to re-engage with Tehran. Speaking at the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Grossi said the organisation was again offering to work with Iran to resolve outstanding questions surrounding its nuclear activities and expressed optimism that a solution could eventually be reached.

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5 COMMENTS

  1. We’ve seen this before during the “pandemic”.

    Political lies masqueraded as virus science and vaccine science back then.

    Today, political lies masquerade as nuclear science.

    The media are paid to keep the sheeple stupid.

  2. International Law has been watered down to the Rules Based Order
    Where anything goes or suites the US
    A bit like the Nuremberg Codes
    The United Nations is a joke
    Like the WHO
    The IAEA is a fake agency weaponized to carry out espionage intelligence gathering and to engage in targeted political assassinations as has been so aptly demonstrated involving Iranian nuclear scientists
    Its all about control and in maintaining that control and asserting influence
    Of course NZ is along for the ride

  3. Simple common sense would be useful.

    Without the use of any nuclear weapons whatsoever, Iran confidently and simultaneously defeated two nuclear powers (USA and Israel)

    Therefore Iran doesn’t need nuclear weapons and never needed them.

    The entire involvement with the IAEA is therefore a total red herring. Curiously, Israel is never held accountable for their nuclear weapons or their nuclear programme. So there is plenty of obvious bias in the way these issues are reported.

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