Iranian MPs Urge Officials to Respond to Recent US Hostilities
Iranian lawmakers on Sunday called on foreign ministry officials and the administration to show an “appropriate reaction” to recent US hostilities against the Islamic Republic.
During an open session of the parliament on Sunday, MP Alireza Salimi cautioned the parliament’s presiding board about the recent approval of a bill by the US congress to impose strict visa requirements for those travelling to Iran.
He said a decisive measure should be taken against the move, which “shows that Americans have not forsaken animosity and hostility toward the Islamic Republic.”
In response, Vice-Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Reza Bahonar said it is a serious issue because such behavior “further raises the wall of mistrust” and demonstrates that certain powers, particularly the US, are not trustworthy.
“We ask diplomats and officials with the foreign ministry and the administration to show an appropriate reaction to the hostile behavior of the US government,” he stated.
According to the bill, which was passed in the US House by 407 to 19 on December 8, visitors from the 38 “visa waiver” countries will need to obtain a visa to travel to the US if they have been to Syria, Iraq, Iran or Sudan in the past five years.
It means citizens of many EU countries and the rest of the 38 states participating in the program who travel to Iran either for business or visiting the country’s attractions will have to obtain a visa should they ever want to enter the US.
On Friday, US lawmakers sent Obama a huge tax and spending package, which also included reforms of the US visa waiver program. The president quickly signed it into law before leaving Washington for his annual holiday vacation.
