100+ Iranian Visas Revoked At U.S. Airports Last Week
Aug. 4 - BCN - Members of an Iranian university’s international alumni association are expressing frustration that more than 100 visa holders traveling to the United States to attend the group’s fourth reunion in Santa Clara have had their visas revoked.
Elahe Enssani, a spokeswoman for the Sharif University of Technology Alumni Association conference, which began today at the Santa Clara Hyatt Regency, said all 12 of the conference registrants who were arriving at San Francisco International Airport were denied entry and that only 15 of 105 visa applicants who had hoped to come to the conference have been allowed entry into the U.S. [“Visas Revoked For Iranians Attending Conference” (ABC7News)]
Mind you, all of the 100+ Iranians whose visas were revoked had made it through the background checks previously. They’d gone through all of the proper channels and filled out all of the proper paperwork. They were all educated professionals and their family members. The U.S. allowed them to board planes and make the 30-hour journey to the United States and then at their own financial expense were turned around and sent home or, worse, were held for days for questioning due to “national security” concerns.
“I really look forward to the reunion,” she said. The conference draws together people who remember an era — when Iran was governed by the shah — to which no one can return, she explained.
The Sharif University of Technology Alumni Association conference draws professionals from around the world and the U.S.
[…]
Information about the individuals denied visas is unavailable for confidentiality reasons, according to Laura Tischler, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Consular Affairs in the U.S. State Department.<
Tischler said only that her understanding was that the Iranian visitors were denied entry because their visas were revoked.
The revocations are not connected to current hostilities in the Middle East, she said. Visitors can be denied visas at any time and for a range of reasons, she said.
"Iranians are subject to special processing because Iran is a state that has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism," she said. "That's been the case for a few years." [“Visas Revoked For Iranians Attending Conference” (ABC7News)]
Related Articles:
Iranian Professionals’ U.S. Visas Revoked (L.A. Times)
Visa fray prompts worry, anger (The Mercury News)
15 Iranians turned away from Calif. airports after visas revoked (The Mercury News)
tags: Iran, Sharif University of Technology Alumni Association
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on August 8, 2006 at 2:25 pm
Webloggin - Blog Archive » It Is About National Security said:
[…] It Is About National Security By Big Dog at Big Dog’s WeblogAugust 8, 2006 at 1:06 pm in Feature Article, The Enemy Within NMallory has a post up about the visas of 100 or so Iranians being revoked while they were on their way to some University reunion in Santa Clara. I don’t necessarily agree with her assertion that the US let them get on the plane to come here since we do not allow people on planes in other countries but she makes a valid point that they were cleared originally. My question would be how old is the passport and visa and how long has it been revoked. The US will not disclose the reason that the visas were revoked so there might be a very legitimate reason. Perhaps a reason like this: Eleven Egyptian students who were supposed to travel to a Montana university after flying to JFK airport late last month disappeared in New York, spurring federal authorities to issue a nationwide alert, officials said yesterday. New York Post […]
on August 10, 2006 at 9:32 pm
On Shayan’s Mind said:
[…] Blogsphere and News Outlet Coverage Sad events of SUTA reunion - Weblog of Persian Students in the UK Turning Back Iranians With Valid Us Visas: Is This The Way To Win The Hearts And Minds Of The Iranian People? - LondonCaspian Madam Secretary, how do you explain this? - Kash’s Newsroom 100+ Iranian Visas Revoked At U.S. Airports Last Week - The Naked Truth Iranians at SFO last week… - My Blog That’s Not Splog Visas Revoked For Iranians Attending Conference - ABC News Iranian professionals detained at S.F. airport, face deportation - Mercury News آمریکا به اعضای انجمن دانشگاه شریف اجازه ورود نداد - رادیو زمانه آمريکا ويزای دهها ايرانی را در فرودگاه لغو کرد - Persian BBC اعتراض دانش آموختگان دانشگاه شريف به آمريک - Persian BBC […]
on August 10, 2006 at 9:35 pm
Genius Moment said:
[…] Blogsphere and News Outlet Coverage Sad events of SUTA reunion - Weblog of Persian Students in the UK Turning Back Iranians With Valid Us Visas: Is This The Way To Win The Hearts And Minds Of The Iranian People? - LondonCaspian Madam Secretary, how do you explain this? - Kash’s Newsroom 100+ Iranian Visas Revoked At U.S. Airports Last Week - The Naked Truth Iranians at SFO last week… - My Blog That’s Not Splog Visas Revoked For Iranians Attending Conference - ABC News Iranian professionals detained at S.F. airport, face deportation - Mercury News آمریکا به اعضای انجمن دانشگاه شریف اجازه ورود نداد - رادیو زمانه آمريکا ويزای دهها ايرانی را در فرودگاه لغو کرد - Persian BBC اعتراض دانش آموختگان دانشگاه شريف به آمريک - Persian BBC […]