The U.S. government has decided, as part of its sanctions against Iran, to ban Iranian diplomats posted in the United States from using warehouse-style discount stores in the country.
According to major foreign media including the Associated Press on the 22nd (local time), the Donald Trump administration banned Iranian diplomats posted in or visiting the United States from shopping at warehouse-style discount stores such as Costco without State Department approval, and from purchasing luxury goods in the United States.
The United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran in 1979 after Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took about 30 Americans hostage. Because of this, there is no Iranian Embassy in Washington, but diplomats work at Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York.
A State Department notice to be published in the Federal Register states that Iranian diplomats and their families must obtain State Department approval before signing up for or maintaining memberships at all warehouse-style discount stores in the United States, including "Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's Wholesale Club," and before purchasing any items at those stores in any manner.
The U.S. government also said that Iranian diplomats in the United States must obtain separate approval before purchasing luxury goods exceeding $1,000 (about 1.39 million won) or vehicles exceeding $60,000 (about 83.69 million won). Luxury goods include watches, shoes, handbags, wallets, clothing, precious metals, electronics and home appliances, wine, and tobacco.
This move is seen as intended to prevent Iranian diplomats from buying items in the United States at low prices that they cannot obtain in their own country and then bringing them back home to pocket the difference. According to CNN, many products sold in the United States are not sold in Iran due to sanctions against Iran.
State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement, "We will not tolerate the clerical elite of the Iranian regime enjoying shopping in New York while the Iranian people suffer from poverty, underdeveloped infrastructure, and severe shortages of water and electricity."
Furthermore, the Trump administration said it would restrict Iranian government officials visiting New York for the U.N. General Assembly to travel only within the area near U.N. headquarters as necessary to conduct official U.N. business.
Pigott said, "By prohibiting the abuse of U.N. General Assembly-related diplomatic visits as a means to obtain products that the Iranian people cannot obtain, we are sending a clear message," adding, "We mean it when we say the United States stands with the Iranian people."
This is not the first time the Trump administration has restricted the activities of foreign diplomats. Earlier, the administration said it would stop issuing visas to Palestinian Authority officials, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. It was also reported that entry restrictions are under review for delegations from Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Brazil.