Iran’s nuclear chief not expected to attend IAEA General Conference, official says

Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami is not expected to attend the IAEA General Conference in Vienna for the first time in years, as UN sanctions prevent his international travel. Austria sought a waiver from the UN sanctions committee but was denied. The absence signals deteriorating Iran-West relations after a fragile ceasefire collapsed in July.

Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami is not expected to attend the annual IAEA General Conference in Vienna for the first time in years, according to an official briefed on the matter. The reason: UN sanctions now prevent his international travel. Austria, as host of the UN in Vienna, sought a waiver from the UN sanctions committee to allow Eslami to attend, but the request was denied. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, not being authorized to comment publicly. Eslami's absence is another sign of rapidly deteriorating relations between Iran and the West, following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in July. The US and Iran have resumed fighting on and off since then. The article notes that since Israel and the US struck Iran's nuclear sites during a 12-day war in June 2025, Iran has not granted IAEA inspectors access to the affected sites, despite its legal obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The IAEA has also been unable to verify the status of a stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium: 440.9 kilograms enriched to 60% purity, a short technical step from weapons-grade 90%. Iran insists its program is peaceful. Last year, France, Britain and Germany triggered the snapback mechanism, reimposing all UN sanctions on Iran, including the travel ban. Despite the official's statement, Iran's state news agency IRNA reported Saturday that Eslami left Tehran for Vienna to attend the conference.