Iran Nuclear Chief Not Expected To Attend IAEA General Conference, Official Says

The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization is not expected to attend the annual meeting of the UN nuclear watchdog’s member states in Vienna for the first time in years because he is subject to an international travel ban, an official familiar with the matter said.

Mohammad Eslami’s expected absence from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference comes amid rapidly worsening relations between Iran and Western countries. The United States and Iran have also resumed intermittent fighting after a fragile ceasefire collapsed in July.

Austria had sought an exemption from Eslami’s travel ban through the UN sanctions committee, but the request was not granted, the official said. The official was not authorised to publicly discuss the sensitive issue and spoke on condition of anonymity.

As the host country for the United Nations in Vienna, Austria can request exemptions from travel restrictions to allow sanctioned officials to attend UN-related international conferences.

Relations between Iran and the IAEA have deteriorated further since Israel and the United States struck Iranian nuclear facilities during a 12-day war in June 2025. Tehran has since denied IAEA inspectors access to nuclear sites affected by the attacks, despite its legal obligation to cooperate with the watchdog under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The IAEA has also been unable to verify the condition and whereabouts of Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade uranium since the June strikes. The agency estimates that Iran has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity — just a technical step below the 90% enrichment level generally associated with weapons-grade uranium.

Iran maintains that it is not seeking nuclear weapons and insists its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful.

Last year, France, Britain and Germany triggered the so-called snapback mechanism, resulting in the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran over its nuclear activities. The three European countries accused Tehran of deliberately violating commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, which had previously led to the lifting of sanctions.

The reinstated UN measures include a travel ban, an arms embargo, restrictions on ballistic missile development, asset freezes and a prohibition on the production of nuclear-related technology.

However, despite the official saying Eslami was not expected to attend, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday that he had departed Tehran for Vienna to participate in the IAEA conference and meet representatives from several countries.

Eslami has regularly attended and addressed the IAEA General Conference since becoming head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization in 2021.

Senior officials from IAEA member states are scheduled to meet from Monday through Friday at the agency’s headquarters in Vienna. The General Conference will consider and approve the IAEA’s budget and discuss a range of policy issues, including nuclear safeguards in the Middle East.