Iran Says US Attempt to Block Its IAEA Committee Membership Failed

Iran's state news agency IRNA reported on Wednesday that an attempt by the United States to block Tehran from joining a committee of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) General Conference had failed.

According to IRNA, Iran secured significantly more votes in a subsequent ballot than in an earlier round, allowing it to retain or obtain a seat on the committee despite the reported US effort to prevent this.

The report did not specify the exact vote counts, the identity of the committee in question, or the date of the ballot. IRNA attributed the account of the US effort and its outcome to Iranian officials, without naming them directly in the excerpt reviewed.

The IAEA's General Conference, held annually in Vienna, brings together representatives of the agency's member states to review its work and elect members to various subsidiary bodies, including its Board of Governors and other committees.

There was no immediate independent confirmation from the IAEA or from US officials regarding the reported vote or Washington's alleged attempt to block Iran's committee membership.

The report comes amid continued tension between Iran and Western countries, including the United States, over Tehran's nuclear program, which has been a recurring subject of debate at IAEA gatherings in recent years.

Further details on the specific committee, the voting process, and the broader context of the ballot were not immediately available.