President Joe Biden should deny Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation entry into the United States for the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which starts Sept. 13.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has continually proven in recent months that it has no interest in acting like even a moderately civilized nation. First, Raisi, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. since 2019, has an atrocious human rights record. As the “Butcher of Tehran,” Raisi was in charge of the executions of thousands of Iranian dissidents in 1988. Iran’s human rights violations continue to this day toward its own citizens.
Second, Raisi has a history of spewing antisemitic rhetoric against the Jewish state of Israel. Part and parcel of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s broader ambition of a second Holocaust, this rhetoric reflects Raisi’s comfort with the evil that defines Khamenei’s regime.
Third, Iran is shamelessly supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine by supplying Moscow with combat drones to use in its assault on Europe.
Finally, there’s Iran’s continued pursuit of terrorist assassination campaigns against former Trump administration officials such as John Bolton and dissidents such as Masih Alinejad. These plots are tantamount to acts of war. It would be absurd for Raisi to be able to visit New York City at the same time he is plotting to kill some of its residents.
Biden claims to stand for democracy and against autocracy. Iran represents the antithesis of that agenda. Moreover, Tehran’s present conduct proves that truth every single day.
Source » washingtonexaminer