UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Iran complained to a United Nations committee on Tuesday about Washington's refusal to grant a visa to Tehran's proposed new U.N. envoy due to his suspected links to hostage-takers, even as the United States stood firm on its decision.
The United States said earlier this month that it would not grant a visa to Hamid Abutalebi because of his connection to the 1979-1981 Tehran hostage crisis when Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Abutalebi has said he acted only as a translator.