US Congressmen Ask for Iran Visa for Visit
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Three members of the US congress paid a visit to the Iranian Interest Section in Washington, D.C., and officially asked for the visa to make a trip to Tehran.
Since Iran doesn’t have diplomatic relations with the US, it maintains an office in the Pakistani embassy to conduct any official international business that might be needed.
Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kansas, Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y, and Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-New Jersey visited Iran’s Interest Section in the embassy of Pakistan in the US capital.
They sit on three important congressional committees: Armed Services, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs.
The three congressmen’s visit is aimed at investigating what’s happening there now that the US and Iran have entered into a nuclear deal.
Each congressman is traveling to the Iranian Interest Section to present the detailed paperwork for their visa application.
“We have been led to believe by the Iranian government and our president that there's a new level of openness between the US and Iran,” said LoBiondo.
Deputy Director of Iran’s Interests Section Abolfazl Mehrabadi showed a friendly reaction to the congressmen, and expressed the hope that they will receive some preliminary word about their visa applications by Monday, the Weekly Standard reported.
After leaving the embassy, Zeldin said he’s genuinely “hopeful that the visa applications will be approved.”
The interest in visiting Iran by the US congressmen comes as Spokesman for the Iranian Administration Mohammad Baqer Nobakht earlier noted that the country sees no restrictions on the expansion of economic relations between Tehran and Washington in the post-sanctions era.
“Our political ties with this country (the United States) ... require fundamental changes in their (Americans’) policy,” Nobakht said in an interview with Al-Alam TV last Saturday.
“As regards economic issues, however, we do not attach any restrictions,” the Iranian spokesman said in response to a question on Tehran’s possible economic ties with the US.
In similar remarks in late January, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there is no obstacle for Americans to invest in Iran, noting that Tehran welcomes US investment in technological fields and joint production.
Speaking at a press conference in the Italian capital of Rome, he added that any possible problem in the way of joint economic cooperation derives from the US’s own regulations.
Rouhani did not rule out the possibility of a thaw in relations between Tehran and Washington, but made it clear that the key to the normalization of ties is in the hands of the US, not Iran.
“Establishment of non-hostile relations, without tensions, between the two countries (Iran and the US) is possible, but its key is in Washington not in Tehran,” President Rouhani said.
The remarks came against the backdrop of the nuclear deal between Tehran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) which took effect on January 16.
The agreement, known as the JCPOA, has terminated all nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, reopened the doors of foreign investment to the country’s market, and prepared the ground for a much-anticipated economic boom.