The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic responded to Robert Malley's warning about citizens' travel to Iran
Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, described the warning by Robert Malley, the US Special Representative for Iran, regarding the dangers of citizens traveling to Iran, as "Iranophobia."
According to ISNA, Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran's Foreign Ministry, said on Monday, August 15, that the Biden administration was trying to show that it was different from the Trump administration at the beginning of its work, but "in practice, it has adopted the same outdated approaches of the past in promoting Iranophobia."
On Monday, August 9, Robert Malley, the US special envoy for Iran, retweeted the US State Department's warning to its citizens about traveling to Iran.
In this tweet, which he shared hours after the remarks of the head of the Iranian judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, he wrote, “We continue to warn all Americans” against traveling to Iran. Mr. Mohseni-Ejei had said that no Iranian citizen who is currently outside the country is “banned from entry” and is not prohibited from returning to Iran and can enter the country “with the coordination of judicial authorities.”
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Ebrahim Raisi's government is interested in expanding relations with Iranians abroad, and called the statements of US officials, including Robert Malley, "an inhumane act aimed at spreading hatred and promoting Iranophobia among Iranians" who "intend to maintain ties with their homeland," and said that the aim of US officials is "to prevent Iranians from having constructive relations with their country."
Addressing US officials, Khatibzadeh said, "If they intend to show compassion for Iranians, they should stop threatening, intimidating, and ensnaring Iranians and take fundamental steps to secure the rights of citizens and facilitate freedom of movement for Iranians living in the United States."
In his remarks, Khatibzadeh did not mention the long list of arrests of citizens who had traveled to Iran.
On July 5, Mr. Mali, while attending a virtual meeting on "Helping Hostages Around the World," addressed those planning to travel to Iran and told them not to put themselves in danger.
Mr. Mali said at the meeting that many dual citizens want to travel to Iran or are currently in Iran, but he added that people should be extremely cautious about traveling to Iran, and stressed that anyone who is not in Iran should think carefully about traveling to Iran, especially American citizens. He said that non-Americans have also had problems traveling to Iran. He told those who want to travel to Iran, “It’s a beautiful country, there are family ties, but don’t put yourself at such risk.”
Many experts say that by detaining citizens who travel to Iran, the Islamic Republic is using them as bargaining chips in negotiations, and that citizens should be cautious about traveling to Iran. A number of those arrested in Iran had even traveled to the country at the invitation of Islamic Republic officials.
Source: Voice of America
