Iranian officials withheld travel visas from three House Republicans who wished to observe the regime’s elections over the weekend.
“It’s unfortunate that Iran has not yet granted our request for visas to observe Iran’s election and for other productive purposes,” Rep. Frank LoBiondo, chairman of the House subcommittee on the CIA, said on Monday.
The New Jersey Republican and two other lawmakers applied for visas in early February, and told the Iranian government they wanted to observe the country’s elections, meet with Americans detained in the country, and inquire about implementation of the recent nuclear deal that Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated. But the election, which took place Saturday, came and went without the visas being granted.
“The American people and rest of the free world still deserve first hand confirmation of what present day reality is in Iran,” Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., said Monday. “I look forward to Iran showing that it is a partner in peace by issuing our visas so that we can meet with Iranian leadership, visit nuclear sites, and meet with American hostages.”
The request was always likely to embarrass the Iranian government, as well as President Obama. “The president has consistently rewarded Iran’s depraved behavior, providing billions of dollars in sanctions relief to this fanatical regime through implementation of his dangerous nuclear agreement,” Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., one of the most voluble congressional critics of the Iran deal, said upon asking for the visa. “If Iran is truly a partner in peace, as President Obama and Secretary Kerry claim, then Iranian leaders should have no problem granting our visas and arranging the requested agenda. I look forward to receiving a timely response from Iran.”
The lawmakers faulted Obama for failing to support their attempt to travel to Iran. “[W]ith the implementation of the nuclear deal and with Americans still detained in Tehran, it is perplexing why the Obama administration refuses to advocate on behalf of our official congressional visit to Iran on such critical national security issues,” LoBiondo said.
