Vienna: Iran's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Reza Najafi, has described preventing the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) chief, Mohammad Eslami, from attending the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference as a clear violation of Iran's rights.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Najafi addressed the IAEA General Conference, protesting the exclusion of the Iranian vice president and AEOI head from the meeting. He emphasized that this action was not a minor administrative issue or a human error but a serious infringement of Iran's rights as a member of the agency.

Eslami was barred from addressing the IAEA's general conference in Vienna following pressure from the US government. Najafi argued that preventing the head of Iran's delegation from participating violated the principle of sovereign equality stipulated in Article IV, paragraph C of the IAEA Statute, which guarantees equal rights for all members and their enjoyment of membership benefits.

The envoy further stated that the exclusion undermined Iran's right to participate in the General Conference through a representative of its choice, weakening the privileges necessary for representatives to perform their duties under the Agency's statute and the relevant privileges and immunities agreement.

Najafi highlighted that this measure violated the host country's obligations under the headquarters agreement between the IAEA and Austria, which mandates the host country to facilitate the entry of representatives of member states into Austria and issue their visas promptly. He called on Austria to immediately remedy this breach of its obligation, demanding corrective action and assurances that such incidents will not be repeated.