Politics
Austria has barred Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), from entering the capital, Vienna. According to media reports,
Austria has barred Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), from entering the capital, Vienna. According to media reports, Austria took the decision regarding Mohammad Eslami under pressure from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. officials said Iran’s request for an exemption from United Nations sanctions for Mohammad Eslami was rejected following direct intervention by the U.S. government. According to Iranian state television (IRIB), Mohammad Eslami was scheduled to attend the annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its headquarters on September 14. However, he was unable to attend the conference because he was not issued a visa.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei strongly protested Austria’s decision not to issue visas to members of the Iranian delegation, calling it unjustified. He said Austria should have issued entry visas to the members of the Iranian delegation. According to Baghaei, after formally lodging a protest, Iran summoned Austria’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran to the Foreign Ministry.
Iranian officials have blamed U.S. pressure for preventing Mohammad Eslami from entering Vienna. A diplomatic source in Austria also confirmed that Eslami was denied entry as a result of U.S. pressure. According to Iranian state television, Mohammad Eslami encountered obstacles during his journey and was sent back to Tehran. Iranian officials said Austria had sought an exemption from the United Nations sanctions to allow Mohammad Eslami to travel to Vienna, but the request was not approved. Tehran has maintained that the purpose of the move was to prevent Iran from making its voice heard on the international stage.
