Despite the attack on Israel, President Biden has granted a request from Iran, who wanted a visa to attend a United Nations meeting.
Instead of at least making Iran work for it the U.S. agreed to give a visa to Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, to attend upcoming United Nations meetings in New York. This decision has sparked significant controversy following Iran’s recent missile attack on Israel.
Amir-Abdollahian is expected to participate in U.N. sessions concerning the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. His visa issuance has drawn criticism from several U.S. lawmakers, including Senator James Lankford (R., Okla.), who has formally requested that the State Department revoke the visa in light of the attack on Israel, which is an ally of the United States.
Senator Lankford, in a letter to the State Department, emphasized the need to prevent Iran from using the U.S. as a platform for spreading anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric. He also questioned the appropriateness of allowing Amir-Abdollahian, who he claims has ties to terrorist activities against Israel and U.S. forces, into the country.
“Given his ties to terrorism against Israel and U.S. forces, Amir-Abdollahian should not be welcome in our country,” the senator wrote. “The United States holds the authority to deny visas to diplomats for security, terrorism, or foreign policy reasons.”
The U.S. State Department, when questioned about the visa, did not provide specific details, citing the confidentiality of visa records. However, spokesman Matthew Miller reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to its obligations as the host nation for the United Nations.
“We never speak to visa records. They’re confidential by law, and so I can’t speak to visa records from here,” Miller told reporters. “But as has long been the case, we take our obligations as the host of the United Nations very seriously.”
There is precedence for this as well.
In 2014, the Obama administration denied Iran’s then-ambassador to the United Nations, Hamid Aboutalebi a visa.
Policy director at United Against a Nuclear Iran, a watchdog group, Jason Brodsky, believes that Amir-Abdollahian should not be allowed a visa. Noting that the foreign minister is also a card-carrying member of a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization—the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—which presents a lethal threat to Americans.”
