The UN atomic agency's board of governors has approved giving Japanese Director-General Yukiya Amano a new four-year term without taking the issue to a vote.
IAEA officials told RFE/RL that the board members had unanimously agreed “by acclamation” on the decision.
The move sends the issue of Amano’s reappointment to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s general conference in September for a possible vote by all members of the IAEA.
However, Amano’s reappointment also could be confirmed at that time by acclamation.
In 2009, the International Atomic Energy Agency's 35-member board had needed six rounds of voting to select Amano for his first term, with developing countries worried he would be too pro-Western.
With reporting by AFP