US denies visas to Iranian religious leaders

A religious delegation from Iran has canceled a scheduled visit to the United States this week after members of the group were denied visas by the State Department. The denial of the visa applications of four of the 14 delegation members was denounced by one of one of the trip's sponsors, who suggested Washington's move was consistent with a policy of confrontation, rather than engagement, with Iran. "We are disappointed and troubled that the administration denied the visas...particularly because we received assurances from the State Department that [it] would move heaven and earth to make this reciprocal religious leaders' visit possible," said Joe Volk, executive secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a Quaker group. "The denials parallel a disturbing escalation of rhetoric against Iran and further demonstrate this administration's current strategy of confrontation rather than diplomacy. Again, this administration appears to be choosing the war path rather than the negotiating table," he added. A State Department official confirmed that the visas have not been approved. The decision means that the Iranians will be unable to reciprocate a visit last February of a diverse group of US Christian leaders, representing Union Methodist, Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, Evangelical, Quaker, and Mennonite traditions. While in Iran, they met with a range of religious, cultural, and political figures, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who reportedly told them that he was open to unconditional talks with the US government "if we see some goodwill." The group was the first from the United States to hold a face-to-face meeting with an Iranian president since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. "The Iranian government has already built a bridge toward the American people by inviting our delegation to come to Iran," said the US delegation upon its return. It urged the administration of President George W. Bush to "welcome a similar delegation" in order to help bring "a new day in US-Iranian relations". "It is extremely disconcerting that they were denied visas," said Carol Ong, Iran policy analyst for the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation. "[It is] more than a missed opportunity, particularly when there is so much mistrust between the countries. By making this sort of gesture, we facilitate more mistrust to do with future exchanges." What is particularly remarkable about the visa denials is that the administration has spoken out frequently in favor of "people-to-people" exchanges as a means of encouraging change in Iran and other allegedly hostile nations. "The fact that the US government has pulled the plug by denying these visas proves to us that the prospect that Americans and Iranians of various faiths shaking hands and talking together and determining their common interests was simply not the image the Bush administration wanted to portray of the Iranians," said Mary Ellen McNish, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee. The State Department declined to comment on why the four members of the delegation were not approved for a visa, insisting that visa matters were confidential.