BBC Journalist Turned Away from U.S. Flight over Iranian Roots

A BBC journalist has been prevented from getting on a flight to the U.S. due to her dual UK-Iranian nationality.

BBC correspondent, Rana Rahimpour, was held back by U.S. authorities after it was determined she could no longer avail of the visa waiver program due to her dual citizenship.

Based on new legislation recently passed by the U.S Congress late last year, The Guardian reports dual nationals who were previously allowed to visit the U.S. under the 90-day visa waiver scheme, are now required to obtain one from the U.S. embassy.

Rahimpour, however, said the U.S. embassy in the UK had not released any advice whether the legislation had already began implementation, BBC News said.

Rahimpour further noted that the UK foreign website stated the new rules would begin implementation on April 1 this year, while the U.S. State Department’s website contains information saying the process of implementation to change the waiver scheme has only just started.

Rahimpour, who is a BBC Persian service presenter, had to contact the agency in charge of the waiver from the airport, only to be told her dual nationality excluded her from traveling to the U.S.

The correspondent’s two cousins were also prevented from boarding their flight from Heathrow Airport to the U.S. to attend a family birthday celebration due to the same reasons.

Rahimpour called the new rules, which currently affect Syrian, Iraqi, and Sudanese dual citizens, as “unfair” on her Twitter account, stating her “fully #British daughter can't attend her #American cousin's bday cos her mum was born in #Iran."

She further said she felt “distressed” over receiving a different treatment compared to other British nationals solely because of her Iranian heritage.

The recent legislation has said to have sparked anger among the dual nationalities affected, after they were passed following security concerns raised over the Paris attacks, NY Times said.

Tags

Rana Rahimpour, BBC, correspondent, journalist, US visa, visa waiver, dual citizenship

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