Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 20
By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend:
More than 100 Iranian lawmakers have urged President Hassan Rouhani to react against the US decision to reform the US Visa Waiver Program, describing the decision as a clear violation of a July nuclear deal between Tehran and the world powers.
Through a letter on Dec.20, the lawmakers also criticized President Rouhani's government for refusing to react to the US decision to tighten the US Visa Waiver Program, Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Karkhanei said.
The lawmakers state that the US law is a blatant violation of the landmark nuclear deal, as the legislation deters foreigners from travelling to Iran, Fars news agency reported Dec. 20.
President Barack Obama has signed the bill HR158 into law which was earlier passed by the House of Representatives.
The Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of about 38 countries, mostly European, to travel to the United States for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days without having to obtain a visa. However, the recent amendment to the program imposes restrictions on foreigners who intend to visit the US.
The legislation will prevent many foreign nationals or those who hold dual citizenship, including thousands of Iranians, who have visited Iran, Syria, Iraq and Sudan over the past five years, from entering the US without a visa.
Aimed at preventing possible terrorist threats, on Dec.8, the US House of Representatives passed the legislation intended to limit certain travel privileges granted to citizens of 38 foreign countries in the aftermath of attacks in Paris and California.
Following the House of Representatives proposal, Iranians launched an online campaign to stop the bill from signing into law. A Facebook group namely "HR158" has attracted about 120 thousands of members opposing the decision.