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Iran Objects to New U.S. Visa Rules
(Bloomberg) Eli Lake and Josh Rogin - The State Department is scrambling to confirm to Iran that it won't enforce new rules that would increase screening of Europeans who have visited Iran and plan to come to America. There is concern the new visa waiver provisions, passed last week, would hinder business people seeking to open up new ventures in Iran once sanctions are lifted. At issue is a provision that would require travelers who visit certain countries - including Iran, Sudan, Syria and Iraq - to apply at a U.S. Embassy for a visa before coming to the U.S. Iran was included for good reason, because it remains on the U.S. list of state of sponsors of terrorism for its open support for Hizbullah and Hamas. The White House did not object until the Iranian government told the administration that the bill would violate the nuclear agreement. "If the United States Congress cannot implement a more secure visa procedure for those who travel to state sponsors of terrorism like Iran, then the Iran deal ties the hands of lawmakers to a greater extent than even deal critics feared," said Mark Dubowitz, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.