MP Endorses Iran’s UN Envoy Pick, Raps US Obstructionism
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A senior Iranian lawmaker urged the country’s diplomatic authorities to move ahead with the new pick for the post of ambassador to the United Nations, stressing that the US has no right to deny him visa just because it hosts the UN headquarters.
The White House said on Friday that it will not issue a visa to Hamid Abutalebi, Iran’s nominee for the post of UN ambassador.
“Our position is that we will not be issuing him a visa,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
In the meantime, the US House of Representatives also approved a legislation on Thursday that prevents Aboutalebi from entering the US.
In reply, Chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Vahid Ahmadi said on Saturday that Washington should comply with the international law.
“The fact that the United Nations headquarters is located on the US soil does not mean that the Americans could… act arbitrarily on granting the other countries’ representatives visa,” he told the Tasnim News Agency on Saturday.
Ahmadi then called on the country’s officials to adopt a firm stance towards the US unusual move, saying Tehran can sue Washington via the international bodies.
Washington has decided to deny visa to Abutalebi over his alleged involvement in the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran by a group of Iranian university students during post-revolution incidents in 1979.
But Abutalebi has insisted his involvement in the group involved in the embassy takeover was limited to translation and negotiation.
