US Pressure Reportedly Helped Bar Iran’s Nuclear Chief From Vienna IAEA Conference

Iran’s senior nuclear official was prevented from attending the International Atomic Energy Agency’s General Conference in Vienna on Monday after pressure from the Trump administration, Bloomberg reported Sunday, citing an unnamed US official.

Mohammad Eslami, Iran’s vice president for nuclear affairs and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, was scheduled to address the UN nuclear watchdog’s annual gathering before Austria denied him entry, according to the official.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported Saturday that Eslami had departed Tehran to attend the conference.

An Austrian government spokeswoman directed questions about the decision to the Foreign Ministry, which did not respond to Bloomberg’s request for comment.

The US official said Austria acted after Washington pressed it not to grant Eslami the sanctions waiver requested by the UN that would have permitted him to enter the country.

A lower-ranking Iranian representative could still address the conference later this week, but Eslami’s exclusion prevents one of Tehran’s most senior nuclear officials from speaking at the opening of the annual event.

IAEA says it has lacked visibility into Iran’s nuclear program for more than a year

The dispute comes days after IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said the agency had been “completely blind” to Iran’s nuclear activities since at least June 2025. He also said satellite imagery had detected construction activity at Pickaxe Mountain.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned Iran against rebuilding sensitive nuclear infrastructure. Last week, he cited activity at Pickaxe Mountain and cautioned Tehran against reconstruction efforts there.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright is expected to deliver a direct warning to Tehran during the Vienna conference, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks obtained by Bloomberg from a Trump administration official.

“Iran must fully cooperate with the IAEA, meet its safeguards obligations, and provide the access necessary for the agency to do its job,” Wright is expected to say, according to the excerpts.

Washington’s intervention follows an IAEA Board of Governors resolution referring Iran to the UN Security Council over alleged violations of its nonproliferation obligations.

Wright to urge IAEA focus on safeguards and peaceful nuclear technology

Wright is also expected to call for the IAEA to concentrate on what he describes as its core responsibilities: nuclear safeguards, security, and the promotion of peaceful nuclear technology.

“We ask the agency to prioritize operational efficiency, eliminate redundant programs, and ensure that all funding contributed by member states is used to uphold the foundational promise that underpins the nuclear nonproliferation regime,” according to the statement reviewed by Bloomberg.

“A disciplined IAEA, remaining focused on its core technical mandate, will prove beneficial to all member states.”

Wright is expected to present Washington as committed both to expanding nuclear power and to enforcing strict nonproliferation standards.

“As America leads a new era of nuclear energy at home and around the world, we will prove that rapid growth and uncompromising standards go hand in hand,” Wright is expected to say.

“American nuclear leadership means American technology backed by the world’s highest standards of safety, security, and nonproliferation, protecting our national interests while strengthening the competitiveness of our companies and earning the trust of our partners.”

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