Afkham: Visa Problem Removed For Iranian Students In Norway

Tehran, Sept 7, IRNA – Failure to receive visa extension for a group of the Iranian university students in Norway was resolved and the remaining students will get extension for their visa in the future with the Iranian diplomatic efforts, a senior official at the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. ˈForeign Ministry and Iranian Embassy to Oslo will seriously follow up situation of the Iranian students in Norway,ˈ the Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said commenting on certain visa problems facing the Iranian students in Oslo. Akhfam made the remarks while commenting on recent reports coming from Norway that a dozen post-graduate students from Iran had their residence permits cancelled under the pretext of the sanctions on Iran. ˈThis issue was discussed with Norwegian authorities including its ministers of education and justice as well as the Norwegian Police and Immigration departments,ˈ said the spokeswoman. She said that in the talks with Norwegian officials, ˈTehran reiterated the need to respect rights of the Iranian nationals with no discrimination and based on the international law.ˈ Norwayˈs police has recently claimed that one of the reasons behind Oslo visa refusal for the Iranian students was that they were studying in certain academic courses like nuclear physics, electronics, mechanics and material engineering which are forbidden for the Iranian nationals based on western sanctions over the nuclear dispute. Oslo authorities said that the growth in the number of the Iranian applicants for advanced technology university admission in Norway was a reason behind Osloˈs visa refusal for Iranian students. Afkham said that Iranian officials have conveyed Tehranˈs concern over the issue by calling the Norwegian ambassador to the Foreign Ministry. ˈTehran would follow up the issue through related diplomatic channels,ˈ Afkham stressed. the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research has announced that it has called a meeting this autumn to seek clarity on the issue. Meanwhile, Afkham appreciated support of a number of academics at some of Norwayˈs leading universities for the Iranian students./end