Tehran has strongly condemned the United States’ imposition of travel restrictions on citizens from Iran and 11 other Middle Eastern and African nations, calling the decision a reflection of a “racist mindset.”
According to AFP, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday, reinstating stringent travel restrictions similar to those enforced during his first term. The new order bans entry into the U.S. for citizens of 12 countries, most of which are from the Middle East and Africa.
The U.S. cited national security concerns as the reason for the bans, which come in the wake of a bomb attack at a pro-Israel rally in Colorado.
Ali Reza Hashemi, Director General for Iranian Expatriate Affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the move, effective from June 9, demonstrates a dominant and racist mentality among U.S. policymakers.
In an official statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said the ban reflects deep-rooted hostility of American decision-makers toward Iran and Muslim nations.
The U.S. travel ban targets citizens from Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, while travelers from seven additional countries will face partial restrictions.
Hashemi further condemned the move as a “clear violation of the fundamental principles of international law,” stating that it deprives individuals of their right to travel solely based on nationality or religion.
Iran and the United States have had no diplomatic relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Despite strained ties, a significant Iranian diaspora resides in the U.S., with the Iranian Foreign Ministry estimating around 1.5 million Iranians living in the U.S. as of 2020.
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