Deny Entry to the Militant Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations

           Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations aided the kidnappers of diplomats.  He provided translation services to the militant Iranian students who took over the United States Embassy in Iran in 1979 and captured its American staff and held them hostage, which made him a mouthpiece to militancy.  The Islamic Republic, instead of fulfilling its duty as the host state to protect the diplomats, supported the militants, who held the Americans until 1981.  Iran’s UN envoy has expressed no remorse for his role.

As Iran has no diplomatic relations with the U.S., the Iranian Ambassador the U.N. is effectively the Iranian regime’s representative in America.  The U.S. should not grant a visa to a diplomat with a record of violence against diplomats and embassy staff.  It should take the extraordinary step of denying entry to the Iranian Ambassador to make a clear statement that violence against diplomats is unacceptable and to show support for the former hostages. 

The Iranian regime is the world’s most prolific state sponsor of terrorism.  It finances and arms terrorists who have targeted and killed Americans.  In addition, the Islamic Republic strongly supports Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, another state sponsor of terrorism, who is brutally suppressing a rebellion.  Meanwhile, Iran continues its nuclear weapons program, which threatens states in the region.