Iran travel warning is a U.S. unfair reaction to Tehran’s measures

By: M.H.B

The U.S. State Department issued an updated travel warning on Monday for Americans, especially Iranian-Americans, on the risks of travel to Iran.

The travel warning replaces what was in effect since March 14, which reiterates the risk of arrest and detention of U.S. citizens, especially those with dual Iranian-American citizenship.

The warning claims that Iranian authorities continue to “detain and imprison U.S. citizens, particularly Iranian-Americans, including students, journalists, business travelers, and academics, on charges including espionage and posing a threat to national security.”

It comes almost a year after the U.S. signed a historic nuclear deal with Iran and just a few months after Tehran released five Americans, including four dual Iranian nationals, charged with spying, in a prisoner swap coinciding with the lifting of economic sanctions on Tehran.

The question is why United States has issued such a warning only  a few months  after Iran showed its ‘good faith’ in the release of the dual citizens charged with spying.

The U.S. apparently continues to represent Iran as an ‘unsafe and dangerous’ country while developments in recent months have shown that Iran really seeks peace and friendship with all countries of the world, even its foes.

The Iran travel warning comes just as European and non- European diplomatic missions and tourists have already rushed to Iran as sanctions are lifted.

The U.S. hostile measures against Iran over recent decades are no secret, and whereby the arrest of few suspects who apparently intended to spy into Iran does not seem “strange and absurd”.

On the other hand, over the years of hostility between the two countries, hundreds of Iranian American citizens, have traveled to Iran without any problems.

Earlier, France, United Kingdom and Australia, have also relaxed travel advice for their citizens following the historic nuclear deal.

The U.K. even reopened its embassy in Tehran in August 2015 after a four-year closure. But the Americans continue to insist on their long-standing claims against Iran, which does not fit within the framework of recently improving relations between the two countries.

In short, the U.S. response to Iran’s peaceful behaviors cannot be fair and equitable while the Islamic Republic is looking for friendly interaction with the outside world.

fair to share...