Iran Nuclear Chief Blocked From IAEA Conference Over UN Travel Ban

Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, was prevented from attending the International Atomic Energy Agency's annual General Conference in Vienna after a United Nations travel ban blocked his entry, according to an official briefed on the matter. The exclusion marks the first time in years that the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization has missed the gathering, underscoring the deepening rift between Tehran and Western nations over its nuclear program. Austria, as the host country for the United Nations in Vienna, had sought a waiver from the UN sanctions committee to allow Eslami to travel to the conference, but the request was not granted. Iranian state television reported that Eslami and his delegation traveled to Vienna on a regular flight but were stopped from proceeding, with the broadcast blaming the United States for obstructing his travel. Eslami has since returned to Tehran. The travel ban stems from UN sanctions that were reinstated last year after France, Britain, and Germany triggered the so-called snapback mechanism.