Iran denounces Austria for blocking its nuclear chief from a meeting in Vienna

VIENNA -- Iran on Monday condemned the exclusion of the head of its Atomic Energy Organization from the annual gathering of the United Nations nuclear agency in Vienna saying that it constitutes “a serious breach” of Tehran's rights as a member nation. “By obstructing our full and effective participation, the denial of access contravenes both the letter and the spirit of the legal framework” governing attendance at meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran’s ambassador to the agency, Reza Najafi, told delegates at its general conference. Najafi criticized Austria, the host country of the IAEA and other U.N. organizations, saying that Vienna’s decision not to grant a visa to Mohammad Eslami “violates the host country’s obligation.”The Russian ambassador to the U.N. in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, echoed Iran’s remarks, saying that Austria had “grossly violated” its obligations as host nation of the IAEA.Western nations had “unleashed a genuine campaign of visa-related abuses so as to settle scores with countries they deem to be undesirable,” he said. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday likewise condemned Austria’s refusal to issue a visa to Esla...