Iranian visa applicants suffer from U.S. ban on Muslim migrants

Record ID: 166496

  • Title: Iranian visa applicants suffer from U.S. ban on Muslim migrants
  • Date: 30th January 2017
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (FILE - DECEMBER 20, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF U.S. EMBASSY IN ANKARA U.S. FLAG ON TOP OF EMBASSY EMBASSY WINDOW POLICE OUTSIDE EMBASSY EMBASSY FENCE U.S. EMBASSY
  • Embargoed: 13th February 2017 15:25
  • Keywords: Iranians U.S. Visa Travel Ban Travel agency Iran Trump Turkey
  • Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
  • City: ANKARA, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA002619WRIF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The owner of a travel agency in Turkey which provides visa services for Iranian citizens has called U.S. President Donald Trump's ban on travellers from Muslim-majority countries "nonsense".
    Trump on Friday (January 27) put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries, a list that includes Iran.
    While Trump defended the move as a measure that helps to protect Americans from terrorism, travel agency owner Ali Reza Rahwani said the policy would damage relations between the peoples of the U.S. and countries affected, like Iran.
    Some Iranians have been turned away from airports since the order was issued, even after successfully obtaining a visa from the U.S. embassy in Ankara.
    "They (the U.S. government) should have said 'we're not issuing this right now, you have to wait', but you have to issue the ban ahead of time, something like two months, and then refuse to accept new (visa) applications. Some people have waited nearly 14 years for their visas. They come here (to Ankara), get interviewed, get their visas and have now been refused at the airport. So who is going to pay for these peoples' expenses?" Rahwani asked.
    "This is something that can damage relations between the peoples of Iran and the U.S. This is an issue between governments that needs diplomacy, not (for the U.S.) to take any opportunity to attack them (the Iranian government)," he continued to say.
    In addition to Iranians, the ban affects travellers with passports from Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, including those with dual nationality that includes one of those countries, and extends on a case-by-case basis to "green card" holders who are authorised to live and work in the United States.
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