ID :
324518
Mon, 04/14/2014 - 10:10
Auther :

Lebanese MPs urge UN to act, decide independently

Beirut, April 14, IRNA – Three senior members of the Lebanese Parliament have strongly criticized US visa refusal to Iranˈs proposed ambassador to the United Nations and urged the international body to prove it is not controlled by other powers and that it acts independently. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lebanese Parliament Abdul Latif Al-Zain along with Qasim Hashim and Kemal Refaie, two senior deputies of the Lebanese legislative body said it is now the UNˈs turn to prove it has the determination and authority to decide by its own and free from influence of other parties. Speaking to IRNA in a recent exclusive interview, the three Lebanese MPs made the remarks while commenting on Washingtonˈs latest decision on denying a visa to Hamid Aboutalebi who was named by Tehran as new ambassador to the UN. Washington has denied visa to Aboutalebi over his alleged involvement in the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979. Tehran reacted to the US move by calling it unacceptable and illogical. Iranian authorities said they would follow up Aboutalebiˈs visa case through ˈlegal channelsˈ at the UN. According to a 1947 agreement signed between Washington, as the host of the UN Headquarters in New York, and the world body, the United States is obligated to grant entry visas to UN representatives and member states. Commenting on Aboutalebiˈs case, the three Lebanese parliamentarians referred to Washingtonˈs move as unacceptable, stressing that the US has no right to make such a blatant move as it is the right of all UN members to appoint its own ambassador to the international body. The Lebanese MPs said Washingtonˈs refusal to grant entry visa to Aboutalebi is in line with the Zionist regimeˈs policy which is against restoration of Iranˈs relations with world countries, particularly with the West.

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