Iran Focus: Tehran, Jan. 03 – Iranian lawmakers on Sunday rejected a request by former US Presidential candidate and head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry to visit Iran. Iran Focus
Tehran, Jan. 03 – Iranian lawmakers on Sunday rejected a request by former US Presidential candidate and head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry to visit Iran.
"Members of the Iranian parliament's Foreign Relations Committee voiced opposition to the request after studying the issue", the Committee’s Chairman Hassan Ebrahimi told the state-run Fars news agency.
Although the Iranian parliament is ultimately responsible for providing an official response to Senator Kerry’s request, Ebrahimi’s comments indicate little prospect of such a trip being allowed by Iran’s leadership.
Senator Kerry has been roundly condemned by US officials who see such a trip as wholly inappropriate during a period when the people of Iran are facing heightened suppression following mass protests demanding regime change.
On Tuesday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani stated that John Kerry would be better off changing US policy towards Iran rather than visiting Iran.