Republicans lawmakers are reaching out to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, once again. But unlike Senator Tom Cotton’s letter warning the Iranian leader about signing the nuclear deal, this letter is actually a request for a visa to travel to Iran.
On Thursday, three house Republicans – Congressmen Mike Pompeo, Lee Zeldin and Frank LoBiondo – visited the Iranian Interests Section in Washington, D.C., where they hand-delivered visa applications for the purpose of traveling to Iran to observe its elections on February 26. The letter also requested meetings with President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif as well as appointments with American hostages, visits to Iranian nuclear facilities, updates on Iran’s recent ballistic missile tests, and an IRGC briefing on the detention of 10 U.S. Navy sailors.
“It is critical that we, as members of Congress, visit Iran and verify whether or not this country will uphold the terms of the nuclear deal,” Rep. Pompeo, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement. “If Iran is truly a partner in peace, as President Obama and Secretary Kerry claim, then Iranian leaders should have no problem granting our visas and arranging the requested agenda.”
“Americans deserve credible, first-hand confirmation of what present day reality is in Iran, regarding the implementation of the Iran Nuclear Deal, status of American hostages, and foreign policy objectives of Iranian leaders,” added Zeldin, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
