Iranian nuclear chief barred from IAEA conference

The 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency started with a diplomatic scandal. Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, who led the country's delegation, was barred from attending the conference in Vienna.

Austria’s status as host state to UN bodies allows it to request travel ban derogations for sanctioned officials attending international conferences, and it initially sought a UN Security Council travel-ban exemption for Iran’s nuclear chief. But the US objected.

Under pressure from the United States, the UN and Austria revoked his visa to enter the European Union, although he had been issued a valid Schengen visa weeks earlier.

• Austria bars Iranian nuclear chief from IAEA conference
  

  Austria bars Iranian nuclear chief from IAEA conference

  The IAEA’s 70th General Conference opens in Vienna, with Iran participating despite Austria revoking the visa of its delegation head, Mohammad Eslami.

The conference started with a protest note from Iran.

Mr. President, finally, the denial of access of a head of delegation to the conference constitutes a clear abuse of power and process by the host country.

It further undermines Austria's overall standing as a host of international organizations in an impartial and professional manner, and accordingly affects the views and positions of member states with regard to the host country.

This situation, regrettably, is a consequence of the host country's failure to uphold its explicit legal obligation.

That failure cannot be justified. There is no legal basis for it.

Reza Najafi, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vienna

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Similar comments were echoed by the Russian delegation.

The Republic of Austria has grossly violated its obligations under the agreement with the IAEA regarding the headquarters of the agency in Vienna by withdrawing, at the last moment, Mr. Eslami's visa, which had already been issued.

Such confrontational steps can only further aggravate the already difficult state of affairs in relations between Tehran and the IAEA, which has resulted from the US-Israeli aggression against Iran's nuclear facilities under agency safeguards.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vienna

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  ‘Outrageous’: Russia condemns Austria for blocking Iran’s nuclear chief from IAEA meeting

  Russia

The Iranian delegation is now headed by Mr. Eslami's deputies.

It was political pressure being exerted upon the hosting Country, Austria, to prevent the travel of Mr. Mohammad Eslami to come to Vienna.

So this is, of course, (in) violation of the commitment which the Austrian country has; when you are preventing the head of a delegation to come to participate in an annual conference, it is, of course, misusing your political capacity.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, Deputy Head of AEOI

• ‘Serious violation’: Iran slams Austria’s barring of nuclear chief from IAEA conference under US pressure
  

  ‘Serious violation’: Iran slams Austria’s barring of nuclear chief from IAEA conference under US pressure

  A senior diplomat protests the prevention of Iran’s nuclear chief from attending the International Atomic Energy Agency’s General Conference.

Several delegations criticized the behavior of the US and Austria in their speeches. Diplomatic sources told us that Iran, Russia, China, and several other states are expected to issue a joint statement to the General Conference in the coming days.

Several days after adopting a new anti-Iran resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors, Austria revoked the visa of Iran's nuclear chief.

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  Iran warns against politicized use of IAEA to justify military aggression

  Iran says the IAEA chief is turning technical reports into political justification for military aggression.

The first day of the general conference highlighted the agency's deepening divisions, with the US and its European allies on one side and the majority of the rest of the world on the other.

Under Director General Rafael Grossi, the IAEA has shifted from a technical body towards a political tool which critics say is being misused by the US and its allies.

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  IAEA politicized approach to Iran Nuclear deal

  The US message to Iran has been quite clear, humor the IAEA once more, and nuclear related sanctions will be lifted, this time.

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