Iran says to ban U.S. visitors in retaliation to Trump move
DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran said on Saturday it would stop U.S. citizens entering the country in retaliation to Washington’s visa ban against Tehran and six other majority-Muslim countries announced by new U.S. President Donald Trump.
“While respecting the American people and distinguishing between them and the hostile policies of the U.S. government, Iran will implement the principle of reciprocity until the offensive U.S. limitations against Iranian nationals are lifted,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.
“The restrictions against travel by Muslims to America… are an open affront against the Muslim world and the Iranian nation in particular and will be known as a great gift to extremists,” said the statement, carried by state media.
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Update #1: Iran to ban US citizens after Trump order (The Hill)
Update #2: Iran will retaliate against Trump’s immigration ban by ‘limiting visas to American tourists’ – as Canadian PM Trudeau says they will take in anyone refused by the U.S. (Daily Mail)
Editor: Am I surprised by President Trump’s new immigration rules …. no …. he campaign on it during the primaries and during the election and he is implementing his promise. Am I am surprised by the reaction to it …. again no …. after years of having an essentially open border, the pendulum has gone the other way, and people are reacting to it. As to what is my own take on this debate …. I have always been open for legal immigration (I am after-all an immigrant myself) …. but I have always been in favour of having a vetting process (i.e. criminal background, terror affiliation, sponsors, can they support themselves, etc.) …. as long as it is done thoroughly, properly, and fairly. As to the 7 countries directly impacted …. Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Libya and Yemen …. these countries are war-zones existing in a perpetual state of chaos …. or in the case of Iran …. directly involved in some of these conflicts and/or supporting groups that have been designated as terror organisations (i.e. Hezbollah). We have no idea on who are these people ….. and while the mass majority are (I am sure) decent people …. there are unfortunately many (as Europe has learned in the past year) who are not. A prediction …. these immigration restrictions will just be a start (I expect more countries will be added to the list), and while those with visas will probably still be admitted into the U.S. …. Federal judge stays deportations of travellers in Trump immigration order (The Hill) ….. getting a visa in the future will be very difficult.
Update #3: As a Canadian I have been asked to comment on this …. Trudeau says Canada will take refugees banned by U.S. (PBS). I live a few blocks away from a street of apartments that has become a dumping ground for immigrants to Canada in the past few years, and I have seen over the years the consequence of this policy. Closed stores, racial animosities, high crime, violence, social problems, chronic unemployment, a place that has become a no-go zone for the police unless they come in force. The politicians who are responsible for this policy and the media’s reaction has also been interesting …. they choose to ignore it. Case in point …. a few weeks ago an apartment building burned down on this street …. Fire destroys LaSalle apartment building (CTV News) …. what was ignored in the media was that the fire department only showed up if the police were there to protect them (a year before there was another fire at another apartment building on this street, and the firemen were attacked by a Haitian gang because they responded too slow). Now the Canadian Prime Minister has just invited the world to come to Canada …. or more to the point …. to be dumped in even greater numbers in the community that I live in. And while he is now receiving praise by the media, civil rights and immigration groups, the progressive community, etc. …. all accompanied by photos of smiling immigrants at the airport being greeted by the Prime Minister with a big smile (I am seeing this on the news as I write this) ….. all that I can say as I shake my head is that these people do not live in my reality …. far from it.
