The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation is not expected to attend the annual gathering of the UN nuclear watchdog’s member nations in Vienna for the first time in years because he is banned from international travel, an official briefed on the matter said. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
Trump dismisses report China entities helped Iran before attack that killed US troops
US President Donald Trump on Sunday brushed aside a report that Iran acquired satellite images of a base in Jordan from Chinese entities before an attack that killed three US troops there in July.
A recent report in the Wall Street Journal cited unnamed US officials about the attack in Jordan. Asked whether he would mention the issue at an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump did not directly answer, and instead equated the surveillance activities of China and the United States.
“They basically do what we do,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “When they say China spies on us, I say you’re right and we spy on them too.”
Oil extends gains as Mideast tensions deepen supply fears
Oil prices rose sharply on Monday, pushing Brent crude above $107 a barrel as escalating tensions in the Middle East stoked fears of disruptions to global energy supplies.
Brent crude for November delivery gained 2.8 percent to $107.54 a barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for October rose 2.3 percent to $102.34.
Both contracts extended last week’s gains after climbing back above the $100 threshold.
The market’s focus remained firmly on the Middle East, where fresh security concerns threatened key export routes.
Iran’s nuclear chief not expected to attend IAEA General Conference, official says
The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation is not expected to attend the annual gathering of the UN nuclear watchdog’s member nations in Vienna for the first time in years because he is banned from international travel, an official briefed on the matter said.
Mohammad Eslami’s exclusion from the IAEA conference is another sign of rapidly deteriorating relations between Iran and the West. The United States and Iran have resumed fighting, on and off, after a fragile ceasefire collapsed in July.
Austria sought a waiver of the travel ban on Eslami with the UN sanctions committee but it was not granted, the official said. The official wasn’t authorized to comment on the sensitive matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.
As host of the United Nations in Vienna, Austria can request exemptions from travel bans to enable sanctioned officials to attend international conferences at the UN.
