WASHINGTON: As the US tries to push other nations to impose a travel ban on Iranian government officials over Tehran’s nuclear program, a senior Iranian official has created embarrassment in Washington by slipping into the country for a visit this month.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he had heard that Mohammad Nahavandian, a senior aide to Iran’s top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, was in Washington but he had not met US officials and his presence was being looked into.

“It’s a matter of interest for us and if I have any other information to share on the matter today or in the days ahead, I’ll do so,” McCormack told reporters.

Nahavandian’s successful entry into the US is embarrassing for Washington, which is pushing hard for other countries to impose travel restrictions on Iranian officials in talks in Moscow this week.

The talks follow Iran’s announcement last week that it had enriched uranium for use in fueling power stations for the first time in defiance of a March 29 UN Security Council demand that it halt its enrichment programme. McCormack declined to say how Nahavandian got into the US, where strict restrictions are in place on Iranian officials.