Iran anger over US visa refusal for UN envoy

[frigidmagi]

BBC

Iran has insisted it will not replace its new envoy to the UN in New York and accused the US of acting illegally by refusing a visa to the diplomat.

A senior Iranian official said they would "pursue the matter via legal mechanisms" with the United Nations.

The US accuses Hamid Aboutalebi of links to the group that seized the US embassy in Tehran in 1979, an incident that soured ties between the countries.

Mr Aboutalebi says that he only acted as a translator for the group.

Congress passed a bill last week that would allow the US to refuse an ambassadorial selection if the candidate posed a security risk.

Earlier this week, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif condemned the move by Congress.

[He characterised those in favour of the bill as "a group of radicals" and said the move would not influence Iran's policies.

Although the bill still requires the signature of the president before it can become law, Congress appears to have succeeded in getting Mr Aboutalebi barred.

Washington Times
Aboutalebi: Let him into the US?
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the president "shared the intent of the bill", and would not issue a visa.

Mr Babaei said the White House decision was "in contravention of international law, the obligation of the host country and the inherent right of sovereign member states to designate their representatives to the United Nations".

Under international law, the US as the host nation for the UN is obliged to grant visas to states' representatives.

In the most high-profile similar case, the US refused a visa to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to speak at the UN in 1998. The UN condemned that decision.

The UN has not yet commented on Mr Aboutalebi's situation.

Mr Aboutalebi has previously served as Iran's ambassador to Belgium, the European Union, Italy and Australia.

He has said said he was not part of the group that took over the US embassy, and was only later asked to translate for the students.

The 52 Americans were held for 444 days during the crisis.

The hostage crisis was part of the revolution that overthrew Iran's monarchy and installed the Islamic republic.

[LadyTevar]

"I was only the translator"
But, that means you were THERE, and that means you knew those who did it.

[Norseman]

Wait wait wait... a guy who was involved in a massive violation of diplomatic immunity is complaining about a violation of diplomatic immunity? But I thought only Americans were hypocrites!

[Lys]

If his claims are true then the man's only crime is being bilingual and available at the time of the crisis. I do not think that makes him a security liability, nor do I find it grounds for barring entry. Quite frankly I might very well volunteer to serve as a translator between a group of terrorists and their hostages, despite my general opposition to hostage taking. For the simple reason that being able to communicate with words decreases the chances that the captors will default to communicating in screaming, gesturing, and beatings. It's better for the hostages.

Of course, his claim being true is quite a big if. The Iranian government is not trust worthy, and I'm ill inclined to take the words of one of its officials at face value. If he was involved to a greater extent, then by all means bar his ass.