Robert G. Sugarman, Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations lauded the announcement by White House spokesman, Jay Carney, that a visa to enter the US will not be issued to the proposed Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations, Hamid Abutalebi, who was involved in the 1979 takeover of the American Embassy in Tehran. The Administration had previously expressed its opposition to his nomination, calling it “not acceptable,” in the hope that Iran would withdraw his name. Clearly the government of Iran knew this nomination would arouse a strong reaction, as reflected in the unanimous vote by the Senate of the United States urging that any individual found to be engaged in espionage, terrorism or a threat to national security should be denied entry to the United States.
“We support the Administration’s action, as well as that of Congress, which send an important message that those who engage in terrorism, and the governments that support them, will be held to account,” said Sugarman and Hoenlein.
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