“Certainly, imposing restrictions on the minister’s movements on some streets in New York does not affect his work plan. Dr. Zarif usually commutes between UN headquarters, Iran’s mission and the residence of Iran’s UN ambassador and all his meetings and speeches will be held in these places,” he told IRNA on Sunday night, local New York’s time.
“As US Secretary of State admitted in his interview, he is worried about the influence of Dr. Zarif’s diplomatic trips and his presence in different media and consequently, his influence on the US and world’s public opinion,” Mousavi added.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday night that he granted a visa to Iran's foreign minister to visit New York primarily to meet US obligations to the United Nations but that his movements will be sharply curtailed, the Washington Post reported. Under the limitations, the Iranian delegation “will be permitted to travel between UN headquarters and the Iranian mission six blocks away, and to the residence of Iran’s UN ambassador nearby.”
“Foreign Minister Zarif, he uses the freedoms of the United States to come here and spread malign propaganda,” Pompeo claimed.
Zarif arrived in New York on Sunday morning to attend a meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council, a high-level ministerial meeting on sustainable development goals for issues that include conflict, hunger, gender equality and climate change.
US administration had earlier announced that it would impose sanctions on Foreign Minister Zarif but the measure is not implemented as many, such as The Post, believe such sanctions “would further complicate any attempts to restart negotiations with Iran.”
Zarif is expected to meet with think tanks and journalists while he is in New York, and the six-block restriction means they will have to come to him at Iran’s UN mission, the report adds.
MAH/IRN83395949/PR
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