UN Discussed The Cancellation Of Iranian Envoy's Visa

Commenting on the US law blocking a visa for Iran's proposed UN envoy, the chair of the UN Committee on Relations with the Host Country ambassador Nicholas Emiliou of Cyprus told reporters on Tuesday (22 Apr) that "the Committee decided to remain seized of the issue and we will revert to it if necessary."

President Obama on Friday signed a law barring the US government from providing a visa to any nominee to the United Nations deemed to have engaged in terrorist activity.

The law came as a response to Iran's pick of a UN envoy – Hamid Aboutalebi- linked to the student militants who overran the US embassy in Tehran in 1979.

Under the 1947 Headquarters Agreement, the US is generally required to grant visas to persons invited to the UN in New York.

Iran's deputy envoy at the UN, Hossein Dehghani, had asked Committee on Relations with the Host Country for a meeting over the decision, saying the US had violated its legal obligations under international law.

SHOTLIST:
22 APRIL 2014, NEW YORK CITY

Exterior United Nations headquarters
Nicholas Emiliou walking to the stakeout position
Camera
Nicholas Emiliou walking away

SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Emiliou, Permanent Representative of Cyprus and chair of the Committee on Relations with the Host Country:
"There was a discussion with the delegation with participation of several delegations and the Committee decided to remain seized of the issue and we will revert to it if necessary. Thank you very much."

DUATION: 00:42