Iran has sharply criticized the United States over its decision to reinstate a travel ban targeting Iranians and nationals from several other predominantly Middle Eastern and African countries, describing the move as evidence of systemic racism within U.S. policy circles.
The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, issued the controversial executive order on Wednesday, reviving a ban similar to one implemented during Trump’s previous administration. Officials say the measure, which takes effect on June 9, is necessary for national security following a recent firebomb attack at a pro-Israel demonstration in Colorado.
Alireza Hashemi-Raja, Director General for Iranian Expatriates Affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, condemned the decision in a statement released Saturday.
“This is a clear sign of the dominance of a supremacist and racist mentality among American policymakers,” Hashemi-Raja stated. “It indicates the deep hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian and Muslim people.”
The renewed ban affects citizens from 12 countries: Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. An additional seven countries face partial restrictions.
Hashemi-Raja argued that the policy not only discriminates against people based on nationality or religion but also breaches international norms.
“It violates fundamental principles of international law,” he said, adding that it “deprives hundreds of millions of people of the right to travel based solely on their nationality or religion.”
He warned that the United States could face international legal consequences for what he termed a discriminatory measure, although he did not specify what form such accountability might take.
Diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States have been severed since 1979, following the Islamic Revolution, and tensions between the two nations have persisted for decades.
The U.S. remains home to the world’s largest Iranian diaspora. According to Iranian government data, there were approximately 1.5 million Iranians residing in the United States as of 2020.
The timing of Trump’s order coincides with heightened security concerns after last Sunday’s violent incident in Colorado, where a firebomb attack at a rally injured several people. U.S. authorities have identified the suspect as an Egyptian national who had overstayed his visa.
Despite Washington’s claims of national security, Iranian officials maintain that the ban unfairly targets Muslims and people from developing countries.
Hashemi-Raja concluded that the Iranian government would continue to oppose what it sees as “unjust and discriminatory policies” on the global stage.
