Middle East Features
Iranians welcome reports of US plan for visa section
By DPA
Jun 25, 2008, 13:51 GMT

Tehran - Many Iranians reacted with great joy to reports that the United States might open an interest section in Tehran with visa services after almost three decades.

There have been reports and even official signals earlier this week that US officials might open a consular section in Tehran where visas would be also be issued for Iranians wanting to visit family members and relatives in the US.

The US is diplomatically represented in Iran by the Swiss embassy but unlike the Iranian interest section at the Pakistani embassy in Washington, there is no visa section in Tehran.

Millions of Iranians emigrated to the US following the 1979 Islamic revolution, their children were born there and most of them have in the meantime become US citizens.

Iran and the US have had no diplomatic ties for almost three decades and political hostilities between the two states have especially affected the ordinary Iranians who have to go through a very tough and costly procedure to meet their family members in the US.

'I pray to God that they (US) agree. This will save us a lot of time and a lot of money,' said 64-year-old Marzieh M, whose son and his family are residing in Philadelphia and whom she has not seen for almost 11 years.

Like other Iranians, she has to travel twice to Dubai and apply for a visa at the cost of at least 1,000 dollars per trip.

Thousands of Iranians reportedly apply every month for US entry visas in Dubai and Istanbul.

Although the plan to open a consular section in Tehran has not yet been confirmed by Washington, Iranians are encouraged when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she wished to see more Iranians visiting the US.

'Meeting your children or grandchildren should have nothing to do with politics - both countries should respect the simple human will to meet beloved ones living in the US,' said Akbar S, who has not seen his daughter and grandchildren since 2001 due to the complicated process and high cost.

The terrorist attacks on the US on September 11, 2001 further complicated the visa process for Iranians although Iran was not linked to the events and no Iranians were arrested in connection with the attacks.

'I had all documents they needed and all guarantees for a return (to Iran) and still I was rejected without any explanation. I am not a terrorist and just wanted to see my sister in Chicago after many years,' said Javad V from Tehran.

'If the whole process is in Tehran and even if I am rejected again, at least I do not have to pay travel costs to Dubai or Istanbul and also the Iranian government should be happy that our money stays in Iran and does not go into Arab and Turkish accounts,' he added.

According to the latest regulations, applicants must first apply for a visa and then wait about eight weeks for a reply. If approved, another trip would be necessary to pick up the visa.

The US consulate in Istanbul is an alternative for Iranians but unlike Dubai, Istanbul has no online registration and applicants must queue for hours.

The official news agency IRNA has quoted an unnamed foreign ministry official as saying that Iran would at least consider the probable US initiative if the request was officially made through the Swiss embassy.

Observers believe President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not oppose the plan he had in January 2006 ordered the resumption of direct flights to the US after a 26-year break for facilitating family reunions.

The US aviation organization however rejected the Iranian offer at that time.

Iranians have to travel to and from the US via European destinations or Dubai. The new destinations were listed as New York, Los Angeles and California, with its large Iranian community and the nickname Tehran-Geles.

Diplomatic relations between Iran and the US were broken off after the 444-day occupation of the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 by radical Iranian students.

Since then, the two sides have viewed each other with hostility. Washington branded Tehran part of an 'axis of evil,' and a supporter of terrorism allegedly attempting to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran, denying the accusations, termed the US the 'Great Satan' and an enemy of Islam and Muslims.