German legal expert slams ˈillegalˈ US action on Iranˈs UN pick

A renowned German expert on international law lambasted the US decision to deny visa to Iranˈs new Ambassador to the UN Hamid Aboutalebi.

According to IRNA on Sunday in Berlin, Norman Paech stressed the US measure to bar Aboutalebiˈs entry into the US was ˈarbitrary and illegalˈ.

Paech said, as a host country to the UN and based on a contract which the US signed in 1945, Washington is legally obligated to allow the entry of all diplomats representing their countries at the UN.

A former lawmaker of the opposition party The Left (Die Linke) in the German parliament, Paech pointed out the US had also barred late Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat from entering the US in 1988 as he was to address the UN.

He said, at that time, the US faced severe criticism over that controversial decision and Iran had basically two options to react to this illegal US act.

Meanwhile, Paech expressed hope that the row over Aboutalebiˈs UN nomination would not affect the progress of the Iran nuclear talks.

He warned, however, of ongoing attempts by Israel and its lobby to torpedo a final agreement.