President Rouhani: US ashamed by Iran’s visas for American wrestlers

EghtesadOnline: President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran’s move to grant visas to the American wrestlers who attended the newly-ended World Cup in Iran has 'made the US administration ashamed'.

News ID: ۷۴۰۱۵۱

04 March 2017

Iranian western city of Kermanshah hosted the 2017 Freestyle Wrestling World Cup on Feb. 16-17 with the participation of eight top world wrestling teams including Iran, Russia, US, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Mongolia and India.

Referring to the international sport events, President Rouhani described “sports a source of Iran’s pride and national unity” which demonstrates Tehran’s interactions with other nations, IRNA reported.

“Sports stand against the policy of Iranophobia and lead to interaction with the world,” said the president while addressing a ceremony in Tehran to honor Iranian 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics medalists.

During the wrestling contests, said the president, Iranians gave the American wrestlers maximum hospitality and the world judged Iran’s greatness.

After the Jan 27 visa ban imposed by the US President Donald Trump on the nationals of seven Muslim countries including Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry responded to the order and stressed “reciprocal measures in order to safeguard the rights of its citizens until the time of the removal of the insulting restrictions of the Government of the United States against Iranian nationals.”

However, on Feb 5, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced that visas will be granted to American wrestlers to travel to Iran to attend the 2017 Freestyle World Cup.

The decision was made after an American judge suspended the visa ban a few days after Trump’s order.

The President also urged the need to promote sports tourism in the country because 'sports bring security, unity, health, liveliness and national pride and will boost Islamic and national culture'.

“Sports can help us reach sustainable development,” President Rouhani said.