IIC warmly welcomes Treasury Department's decision
against discrimination
Washington DC, June 15, 1999 - Iranians
for International Cooperation warmly welcomes the US Treasury Department's
Office of Foreign Assets Control decision that US sanctions against Iran
do not apply to most Iranian applicants for US non-immigrant visas.
The new regulations emanating from the Treasury department, which oversees
the administration of trade related US sanctions against Iran, overrule
earlier interpretations that resulted in discrimination against ordinary
Iranians.
The apparent aim is to rescind the strict interpretations by the US
State Department and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, according
to which most Iranian applicants for US non-immigrant visas were to be
rejected and which placed even present holders of such visas in peril of
losing their privilege to reside and work in the United States.
The Department apparently recognizes that it is not in the interest
of the United States, nor is it consistent with the stated goals of the
sanctions policy, to bar all Iranian students, scientists and skilled workers
merely to adhere to a strict interpretation of the ban on trade in goods
and services with Iran. IIC finds it very refreshing that such discrimination
against Iranians is not tolerated by the US Government.
By supporting this new interpretation the Clinton administration is
continuing to push for a dialogue with Tehran, in whose court the ball
is now passed. This important US move will provide the needed opportunity
for greater contact between the American and Iranian people, on whose shoulders
the prospects for greater cultural understanding and eventual reconciliation
between the two former allies rests.
Coupled with the removal of the unconditional ban on the sale of food
and medicine, this move adds to the momentum for rapprochement both in
the United States and Iran.
It is IIC's belief that not only the previous interpretations, but the
sanctions regime itself, serve only to harm innocent people and create
obstacles to the much needed dialogue between the two governments. IIC
therefore has advocated and will continue to advocate any moves towards
the removal of the sanctions against Iran and the end of discrimination
against Iranians.
Iranians for International Cooperation (IIC), is a not-for-profit, independent
network of concerned global citizens who strive to improve relations between
the two former allies Iran and the US and to work against discrimination
and defamation against Iranians in the US.
Contact: Trita Parsi, President, President@iic.org
Mozhgan Mojab, PR Director, public_relation@iic.org
Leah Khagani, vice PR Director, vice_pr@iic.org
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