Portugal suspends visas for Iranians, cites security reasons

FILE PHOTO: Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva attends a news conference at Necessidades palace in Lisbon, Portugal February 4, 2019. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante

LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal has suspended the issuance of entry visas for Iranian nationals for unspecified security reasons, Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva said on Tuesday, adding the move was not related to bilateral relations between the two countries.

Answering a question from a lawmaker at parliamentary committee on whether such a move had been taken, Santos Silva said during the televised meeting: "Yes, we suspended those for security reasons ... I will provide explanations later, but not publicly".