Three foreign ministers speak on Iran

nationals they jointly have found guilty of human rights violations for mistreating fellow Iranian nationals.

Officials of the Islamic Republic swiftly denounced the decision. Majlis Deputy Hossain Ebrahimi also called it “illegal.” He did not say on what basis he found the decision illegal. All countries have to authority to admit or deny admission to whomever they choose. In fact, Iran just a week earlier announced it would deny admission to Ahmad Shaheed, the newly named UN human rights investigator for Iran.

The names of those being denied visas by the three English-speaking countries were not announced. The United States said its privacy laws barred it from announcing the names publicly and the other countries apparently went along with that.

Washington said those impacted included cabinet ministers, military and police officers, and Judiciary and prison officials.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “Until the Iranian government brings human rights abusers to justice and protects its citizens, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada and other partners will stand up on behalf of the Iranian people.”

Canada and Britain said they were also denying visas to Iranian scientists, engineers and procurement officers linked to Iran’s nuclear program, The United States has already cited many such individuals.

In London, Foreign Secretary William Hague said,. “We are taking action against more Iranians who have committed serious human rights abuses … associated with the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on its people since the disputed elections of 2009.”

On Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said, “The message to the Iranian leadership is clear: Iran will not take its place as a full and respected member of the international community until its government meets its international and domestic obligations.”

Baird mentioned such specific violations as Iran’s treatment of its Baha’i community and the home detention of opposition leader Mir-Hossain Musavi. Baird also said Prime Minister Stephen Harper “has taken a personal interest” in the case of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, the woman condemned to be stoned to death for adultery. Harper’s wife, Laureen, has taken an active and public role in condemning Iran over that case.

None of the countries revealed whether they have ever issued any visas to any of the people to whom they are now denying visas. Few of those likely to be covered would be expected to vacation in the West on their own, but many Iranian officials do have relatives studying or living in the three countries.

Similar visa restrictions have been imposed previously on officials of Libya, Belarus and Cote d’Ivoire for human rights abuses.

All three English-speaking countries have very strained relations with Iran. Britain maintains full diplomatic relations, but has not bothered to replace the ambassador who left a few months ago. The United States has no diplomatic relations at all. Canada since 2005 has operated under what it calls a “controlled engagement policy.” It has an embassy but no ambassador in Tehran. When meeting with Iranian officials, Canadian diplomats are permitted to discuss only three issues: human rights; Iran’s nuclear program; and the case of Zahra Kazemi, the dual national beaten to death in Tehran in 2003. It was the Kazemi case that tuned Canadian relations with Iran frosty.