US blocks Iran’s nuclear chief from Vienna meeting

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Mohammad Eslami was blocked from entering Austria because he was a ‘sanctioned individual’

Iran’s nuclear chief was blocked from attending an annual conference on Monday at the headquarters of the UN’s nuclear agency in Vienna after US pressure, both Washington and Tehran said.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed to reporters that Washington had applied pressure to stop Mohammad Eslami from entering Austria, saying “he’s a sanctioned individual and we don’t want sanctioned individuals evading their sanctions”.

Iranian state TV said Eslami and a delegation “took a regular flight to Vienna on Saturday, but were blocked on the way because of obstructions by the United States”.