Iran nuclear chief likely to miss IAEA Vienna meet over UN travel ban

Iran's atomic chief Mohammad Eslami is expected to miss the IAEA conference in Vienna because of a UN travel ban. His likely absence underlines deepening Iran-West friction as nuclear monitoring and diplomacy remain strained.

In Short

• Austria sought a sanctions waiver, but UN approval never came
• IAEA inspectors still lack access to sites hit during June strikes
• The agency cannot verify Iran's near weapons-grade uranium stockpile status

The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, Mohammad Eslami, is not expected to attend the annual conference of the UN nuclear watchdog in Vienna for the first time in years because he is barred from international travel, an official briefed on the matter said.

His expected absence from the International Atomic Energy Agency gathering is the latest sign of worsening ties between Iran and the West. The United States and Iran have resumed clashes on and off after a fragile ceasefire collapsed in July.

According to the official, Austria sought a waiver from the UN sanctions committee to allow Eslami to travel, but the request was not granted. As the host of the United Nations in Vienna, Austria can seek exemptions from travel bans so that sanctioned officials can attend UN conferences.

Since Israel and the US struck Iran's nuclear sites during the 12-day war in June 2025, Iran has not allowed IAEA inspectors access to the facilities affected by the attacks, even though Tehran is legally required to cooperate with the watchdog under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The IAEA has also been unable to verify the status of Iran's stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the June bombing. According to the agency, Iran has 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity, which is a short technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. Iran says it is not pursuing nuclear weapons and that its programme is entirely peaceful.

Last year, France, Britain and Germany triggered the snapback mechanism that automatically restored all UN sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme. The three countries said Iran had wilfully moved away from the 2015 nuclear deal that had lifted the measures. The restored sanctions include a travel ban, a conventional arms embargo, restrictions on ballistic missile development, asset freezes and a ban on producing nuclear-related technology.

Despite the official saying Eslami was not expected to attend, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday that he had left Tehran for Vienna to take part in the IAEA conference and meet representatives of various countries. Eslami has regularly attended and addressed the IAEA General Conference in Vienna since becoming head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation in 2021. Senior officials from IAEA member states are due to meet from Monday to Friday at the agency's headquarters in Vienna to consider and approve its budget and discuss other policy issues, including nuclear safeguards in the Middle East. The conference comes at a time of deepening tension over Iran's nuclear programme and its engagement with the watchdog.

With PTI Inputs

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