Angered by Iran pick, Senate OKs denying visa
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Senate approved a bill Monday to block a former hostage-taker chosen to be Iran's ambassador to the United Nations from entering the United States.
By voice vote, Republicans and Democrats united behind the legislation sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz that reflected congressional animosity toward Tehran and its selection of Hamid Aboutalebi. He was a member of a Muslim student group that held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days in the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
Aboutalebi reportedly has insisted that his involvement was limited to translation and negotiation.
The "nomination is a deliberate and unambiguous insult to the United States," Cruz said in remarks on the Senate floor.
The bill would deny entry to the United States to an individual found to be engaged in espionage, terrorism or a threat to national security. Cruz had proposed legislation last week to deny visas to a U.N. applicant if the president determines the individual has engaged in terrorist activity. He modified his measure, though it was unclear what entity such as an international court would determine an individual's standing.
Cruz won the tacit support of Sen. Chuck Schumer for his legislation. The two shook hands on the Senate floor, a rare bit of bipartisanship for Cruz, a Republican tea party star, and the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate.
"It may be a case of strange bedfellows, but I'm glad Sen, Cruz and I were able to work out a bill that would prevent this terrorist from stepping foot on American soil," Schumer said in a statement.
Last week, Cruz questioned the wisdom of holding talks with the Iranian government about its nuclear program in light of Iran's choice for ambassador.
The United States has objected to Iran's anticipated selection of Aboutalebi, but the Obama administration stopped short last week of saying it would refuse him a visa to enter the United States. The State Department said it had raised the issue with Tehran.
Hamid Babaei, a spokesman for Iran's Mission to the United Nations, said last week, "It has been a usual practice in the Iranian Foreign Ministry to formally announce and appoint ambassadors — to all foreign postings — once all the formalities are completed."
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Associated Press writer Donna Cassata contributed.
