Some Iranians say they're banned from travel to the United States due to military service they were forced to perform years ago as conscripts to a branch of Iran's military that the U.S. has branded terrorist
Leili Ghazi, a 22-year-old immigrant from Iran, sits for a photo in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Two years ago, Leili Ghazi quit studying biomedical engineering in Iran and seized the chance to travel to the United States to build a new life for herself and her parents. Now, the 22-year-old is separated indefinitely from her family because her father performed military service more than two decades ago for a branch of the Iranian armed forces that the U.S.
Many Iranian Americans and their families hoped the Biden administration would reverse course on the designation so those who served as conscripts could still travel. They note Iranian men are compelled to serve if they want to obtain passports to leave the country, have no say over what branch they're assigned to and largely perform basic tasks such as painting or office jobs.
The secretary of state designates the groups in consultation with the attorney general and treasury secretary, and with congressional review, and can also revoke designations. For example, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia was listed as a foreign terror organization in 1997 and delisted in 2021.
Taher Kameli, an attorney in Chicago who has also sued, said he fields calls daily from people asking how the designation affects them. He said he doesn’t believe the U.S. government can list another country’s military as a foreign terrorist organization and notes past administrations also had issues with the branch and refrained from making the designation due to the consequences it would bring.
Abolhassani was told he couldn't go because of his conscription more than a decade ago, which he said consisted of two months of basic training and designing water pipelines for the branch. He said he was assigned at random and the service was necessary so he could obtain a passport and leave the country to continue his education.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Iran nuclear talks to resume with US in 'coming days,' EU saysNuclear talks between the United States and Iran are expected to resume 'in the coming days,' Iranian and European Union officials said Saturday.
Weiterlesen »
Iran-U.S. nuclear talks to resume 'in the coming days', Tehran and EU sayTalks had bogged down, chiefly over Tehran's insistence that Washington remove the Revolutionary Guards from the U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization list.
Weiterlesen »
Author Azar Nafisi on How Freddie Mercury Helped Her Survive Life in IranAuthor Azar Nafisi on how Freddie Mercury helped her survive life in Iran in the early ’80s.
Weiterlesen »
Iran launches rocket with satellite carrier as nuclear talks to resumeThe launch comes a day after EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell announced that Iran and the United States would resume indirect talks to revive nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
Weiterlesen »
Iran Aims to Roll Out Pilot Version of Crypto Rial Within 2 Months – Finance Bitcoin NewsThe government in Tehran is taking steps in preparation of the launch of Iran’s new digital currency, referred to as the crypto rial.
Weiterlesen »
Wildwood's Current and Former Mayors Charged with FraudWildwood, New Jersey's current Mayor Peter Byron and former Mayor Ernest Troiano, along with a city commissioner, face charges of fraudulently participating in New Jersey’s State Health Insurance Program, the state attorney general announced Friday.
Weiterlesen »