Iran Nuclear chief blocked from Vienna meeting

- Mohammad Eslami was blocked from attending a UN conference in Vienna.

- The United States opposed Eslami’s presence, according to Iranian state TV.

TEHRAN: Iran’s nuclear chief was blocked from attending an annual conference on Monday at the headquarters of the UN’s nuclear agency in Vienna due to opposition from the United States, Iranian state television said.

“Mohammad Eslami and his delegation took a regular flight to Vienna on Saturday, but were blocked on the way because of obstructions by the United States,” the state broadcaster reported, saying he had returned to the capital Tehran.

Iran stated on Monday it had summoned Austria’s charge d’affaires after the European country refused to allow Iran’s nuclear chief to participate in the meeting.

“The Austrian government’s refusal to issue visas to the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a completely unjustified decision,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at a press conference in Tehran.

“It is clear to us that this incident occurred under American pressure, but that does not absolve the Austrian government of responsibility.”