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White House Says Iran’s U.N. Diplomat ‘Not Viable’ White House Says Iran’s U.N. Diplomat ‘Not Viable’
(35 minutes later)
The Obama administration intensified its objections on Tuesday to Iran’s nomination for United Nations ambassador, a former translator whose role in 1979-81 Tehran hostage crisis has touched American political nerves, asserting that the choice was “not viable” in what seemed as close as possible to ruling it out.The Obama administration intensified its objections on Tuesday to Iran’s nomination for United Nations ambassador, a former translator whose role in 1979-81 Tehran hostage crisis has touched American political nerves, asserting that the choice was “not viable” in what seemed as close as possible to ruling it out.
The assertion, made by the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, came hours after the Senate voted unanimously on Monday night on a bipartisan measure that would bar the nominee, Hamid Aboutalebi, from taking the United Nations post by denying him a visa. House passage of the measure was considered a near certainty.The assertion, made by the White House press secretary, Jay Carney, came hours after the Senate voted unanimously on Monday night on a bipartisan measure that would bar the nominee, Hamid Aboutalebi, from taking the United Nations post by denying him a visa. House passage of the measure was considered a near certainty.
The administration’s objections over the nominee could turn into a new confrontation with the Iranian government at precisely the time when it is seeking to improve the diplomatic climate for the talks on Iran’s disputed nuclear program, which resumed on Tuesday in Vienna.The administration’s objections over the nominee could turn into a new confrontation with the Iranian government at precisely the time when it is seeking to improve the diplomatic climate for the talks on Iran’s disputed nuclear program, which resumed on Tuesday in Vienna.
While the United States is obliged to grant visas to United Nations diplomats from all countries, even those it finds objectionable, it has reserved the right to to disallow anyone known to have played a role in the Iranian student revolutionary movement that seized the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979, holding American hostages for 444 days. The hostage crisis was the defining event that to this day has helped shape the estranged relations between Iran and the United States. While the United States is obliged to grant visas to United Nations diplomats from all countries, even those it finds objectionable, it has reserved the right to disallow anyone known to have played a role in the Iranian student revolutionary movement that seized the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979, holding American hostages for 444 days. The hostage crisis was the defining event that to this day has helped shape the estranged relations between Iran and the United States.
Mr. Carney, speaking to reporters in Washington at a regular White House briefing, said “we’ve informed the government of Iran that this potential selection is not viable.” He would not elaborate on what he meant by that language. But it was far stronger than the administration’s previously stated position on Mr. Aboutalebi, characterizing the nomination, which has been stalled awaiting a visa for months, as “extremely troubling.” Mr. Carney, speaking to reporters in Washington at a regular White House briefing, said that “we’ve informed the government of Iran that this potential selection is not viable.” He would not elaborate on what he meant by that language. But it was far stronger than the administration’s previously stated position on Mr. Aboutalebi, characterizing the nomination, which has been stalled awaiting a visa for months, as “extremely troubling.”
Mr. Aboutalebi, 56, a veteran diplomat who has held ambassadorial posts for Iran in Europe and Australia, has acknowledged that he worked occasionally as an interpreter for the group responsible for the hostage crisis, the Muslim Students Following the Imam’s Line. But Mr. Aboutalebi and his associates said he was never a leader of the group.Mr. Aboutalebi, 56, a veteran diplomat who has held ambassadorial posts for Iran in Europe and Australia, has acknowledged that he worked occasionally as an interpreter for the group responsible for the hostage crisis, the Muslim Students Following the Imam’s Line. But Mr. Aboutalebi and his associates said he was never a leader of the group.
Nonetheless, the disclosure of his involvement created a furor in the United States Senate, led by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who described Mr. Aboutalebi as a terrorist. Others were less strident but still described Iran’s choice of Mr. Aboutalebi for the most important Iranian diplomatic position in the United States as at best a poorly informed decision and at worst a deliberate insult.Nonetheless, the disclosure of his involvement created a furor in the United States Senate, led by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who described Mr. Aboutalebi as a terrorist. Others were less strident but still described Iran’s choice of Mr. Aboutalebi for the most important Iranian diplomatic position in the United States as at best a poorly informed decision and at worst a deliberate insult.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marziyeh Afkham, said in Tehran that Mr. Aboutalebi was highly qualified for the position and that no third party is entitled to challenge the choice, the Fars News Agency reported. It also quoted a senior Iranian lawmaker, Mohammad Hassari Asafari, as saying the Senate measure was “sheer interference in the internal affairs of the U.N.”Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marziyeh Afkham, said in Tehran that Mr. Aboutalebi was highly qualified for the position and that no third party is entitled to challenge the choice, the Fars News Agency reported. It also quoted a senior Iranian lawmaker, Mohammad Hassari Asafari, as saying the Senate measure was “sheer interference in the internal affairs of the U.N.”
The intensifying dispute over Mr. Aboutalebi’s nomination was not the only diplomatic problem between Iran and the West on Tuesday. Angry Iranian lawmakers also canceled what would have been a historic trip to the European Parliament after criticism of the country’s human rights record.The intensifying dispute over Mr. Aboutalebi’s nomination was not the only diplomatic problem between Iran and the West on Tuesday. Angry Iranian lawmakers also canceled what would have been a historic trip to the European Parliament after criticism of the country’s human rights record.
The move followed the equally angry reaction of Iranian leaders to a resolution by the European Parliament calling upon future delegations to Iran to raise the issue of human rights during every visit.The move followed the equally angry reaction of Iranian leaders to a resolution by the European Parliament calling upon future delegations to Iran to raise the issue of human rights during every visit.
The anger reflected a resilient opposition among Iran lawmakers to discussing any issues beyond the nuclear dispute and trade with Western countries.The anger reflected a resilient opposition among Iran lawmakers to discussing any issues beyond the nuclear dispute and trade with Western countries.
In the resolution, presented on March 25, the European lawmakers stated that while nuclear talks between Iran and world powers are promising, they had grave concerns regarding the human rights situation in Iran, called for the release of all political prisoners, the entry of United Nations human rights observers into the country and an end to hundreds of executions every year.In the resolution, presented on March 25, the European lawmakers stated that while nuclear talks between Iran and world powers are promising, they had grave concerns regarding the human rights situation in Iran, called for the release of all political prisoners, the entry of United Nations human rights observers into the country and an end to hundreds of executions every year.
In a reaction, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, who has presented himself as a moderate, said the resolution lacked any legitimacy and emphasized that the European Parliament is “too small to insult the great Iranian nation,” the official Islamic News Agency quoted him as saying on Monday. President Hassan Rouhani of Iran, who has presented himself as a moderate, reacted to the resolution by saying that it lacked any legitimacy and he emphasized that the European Parliament is “too small to insult the great Iranian nation,” the official Islamic News Agency reported on Monday.
Other Iranian politicians and clerics in recent days have been more straightforward, calling the European legislators “a bunch of idiots,” and “tools of the United States.” The head of Iran’s Parliament, Ali Larijani called the European resolution a “cheap act.” Other Iranian politicians and clerics in recent days have been more straightforward, calling the European legislators “a bunch of idiots” and “tools of the United States.” The head of Iran’s Parliament, Ali Larijani called the European resolution a “cheap act.”