Journalism of Courage
The Trump administration, which has denied visas for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation to attend a high-level United Nations meeting this month, is weighing additional restrictions on several other countries, according to an internal State Department memo seen by The Associated Press.
The measures under consideration would target delegations from Iran, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. The likely curbs also include Brazil, which traditionally delivers the opening address at the UN General Assembly, scheduled to begin September 22 in New York.
While no final decisions have been made, the proposals mark a further tightening of the administration’s visa policies, including reviews of existing permits for foreign officials attending UN events.
Iranian diplomats in New York already face strict limits on their movements, but one new proposal would prohibit them from shopping at wholesale retailers such as Costco and Sam’s Club without express State Department approval. These stores have long been popular among Iranian officials for bulk purchases of US goods, often shipped back home. The memo also indicated that the Department is exploring rules to impose conditions on wholesale club memberships for all foreign diplomats in the US.
For Brazil, it remains unclear whether restrictions would apply to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva or only lower-level officials. Lula has recently drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has objected to Brazil’s prosecution of former president and Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro over his alleged role in a coup attempt, imposing 40 per cent tariff on the country.
Syria, on the other hand, will see fewer limits. Its delegation has been granted a waiver from UN travel restrictions in place for more than a decade. The move comes as Washington seeks to build ties after last year’s ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad and reintegrate the country into the regional fold.
The memo did not specify what restrictions could be imposed on delegations from Sudan and Zimbabwe. The State Department declined to comment, while the Iranian and Brazilian UN missions did not immediately respond to requests.
