Austria’s Foreign Ministry said it had requested a travel exemption for Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, but the UN rejected it

Austria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that for the trip of Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of the Islamic Republic, a request for an exemption from the UN travel ban had been submitted, but the request was rejected.

According to the ministry’s announcement, the head of the UN Security Council informed Vienna that the request was rejected due to the lack of consensus.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry added that, in view of the country’s international obligations, Eslami’s entry is not possible.

Eslami was en route to Vienna to attend the annual general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, but was not allowed to participate. He had taken part in all of the Agency’s general conferences since 2021.

The travel ban stems from the “snapback” mechanism that reinstates UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic.