Washington: The Trump administration on Thursday banned all members of the Iranian regime and their families from entering the United States, the latest in a series of crackdowns on Tehran from President Donald Trump.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a statement cited by The Hill, announced a Trump proclamation “restricting entry into the United States for senior Iranian government officials and members of their families.”
“For years, Iranian officials and their family members have quietly taken advantage of America’s freedom and prosperity, including excellent educational, employment, entertainment, and cultural opportunities in the United States,” Pompeo said.
“No longer will elites reap the benefits of a free society while the Iranian people suffer under the regime’s corruption and mismanagement,” the statement added.
The announcement comes after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and other officials were granted temporary visas to attend the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York after it was initially unclear whether Iran’s leaders would be granted authority to enter the US in time.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last week that his government would not negotiate with the Trump administration under any circumstances until sanctions are lifted, amid high tensions after the US and other nations blamed Iran for attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.
“There will be no talks with the US at any level … all officials in the Islamic Republic unanimously believe this,” Khamenei was quoted as saying.
Iran’s government has largely refused talks with the Trump administration following Trump’s decision to exit an Obama-era nuclear pact signed by Iran and several European nations. Trump has imposed a series of sanctions on Iran after leaving the agreement, including on the nation’s central bank last week.