Iran writes to UN over US visa denial

Iran writes to UN over US visa denial

by aletho

Press TV - April 16, 2014

Iran has sent a letter of complaint to the United Nations over the US refusal to issue a visa to the Islamic Republic’s appointee for the position of ambassador to the world body.

Iran’s diplomatic mission to the UN met with the UN Office of Legal Affairs on Tuesday over Washington’s refusal to issue a visa to the Iranian appointee Hamid Aboutalebi.

The Iranian mission has also filed a letter, which was released on Monday, with the UN's Committee on Relations with the Host Country.

In a separate letter, Iran has asked the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to register its letter of protest as an official UN general assembly document and distribute it among member countries.

Washington has decided to deny visa to Aboutalebi over his involvement in the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran during post-revolution incidents in 1979.

On April 10, the US House of Representatives unanimously approved a legislation that prevents Aboutalebi from entering the US. The White House has also said it would not issue a visa to Aboutalebi.

Abutalebi denies any direct role in the embassy takeover, saying he worked as an interpreter while negotiations for the release of the hostages were going on.

On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian university students took over the US Embassy in Tehran, which they believed had turned into a den of espionage. Documents found at the compound later corroborated the claims by the students.

Meanwhile Iran’s Ambassador to the UN Hossein Dehqani on Tuesday called on the UN to confront the US over its illegal and unconventional move.

In a meeting with UN Under-Secretary General for Legal Affairs Miguel de Serpa Soares, the Iranian envoy said as an international body, the UN receives representatives of independent and sovereign countries.

He expressed regret that the US as the host country has failed to meet its legal commitments under unfounded pretexts.

“This move is against the obligations of the host country according to the agreement between the [host of] the venue and the UN and other diplomatic legal regulations, and will undoubtedly have an unfavorable impact on the United Nations’ mission and the activities of member countries, and will undermine the United Nations’ standing,” Dehqani said.

Soares, for his part, said he would study Iran’s letter of complaint and added that the legal aspects of the issue are currently under investigation.

Under the 1947 Headquarters Agreement, the United States, as the host country of the UN, is required to allow access to the world body for foreign diplomats.