Ibrahim Downplays Concerns over Passport Stamping for Iranian Passengers

W460

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim on Monday downplayed allegations published in an American daily over Beirut airport measures regarding Iranian passengers, assuring that stamping passports at RHIA is “not compulsory, and has been adopted in several Gulf and European countries.”

Laughing the allegations off, Ibrahim told al-Joumhouria daily: “Unfortunately some have a broad imagination that drives them into unrealistic assumptions. I would like to emphasize that the measure taken by the General Security Directorate is totally normal and does not involve any hidden goals or intentions. It has been adopted in many Gulf and European countries for many years.”

He stressed that “the entry and departure of Iranians through the airport is registered and documented on computers. This is what matters to us,” pointing out that “even if the passports are not stamped, the date of arrival and departure is available to us by passing the passport on the (scan) machines.”

The Washington Times said in a report over the weekend that the Lebanese embassy in Tehran has “announced that in order to facilitate the travel of Iranians to and from Lebanon, their passports would not be stamped at Beirut airport during their trip to Iran.”

The daily alleged that Hizbullah is “corrupting” the Rafik Hariri International Airport and has allowed the “Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to take the airport as a base for Iranian regime operations, which consists of transporting weapons and fighters to locations and countries serving the Revolutionary Guards’ strategy for regional intervention.”

“Stamping your passport is not a compulsory step. Passengers have the right to request the stamp be placed on a separate card other than their passports,” he clarified.

Ibrahim asserts that international law preserves the human right to freedom of movement, and therefore "public security" can not impose restrictions on the traveler contrary to this principle.

He revealed preparation for the implementation of a sophisticated project at the airport that would completely cancel stamping. “An electronic crossing gate, which automatically opens the door to the passenger or locks it in front of him, depending on the result of a device that checks the passport automatically," he said.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 11
Thumb janoubi 18 June 2018, 13:10

Laughing the allegations off, Ibrahim told al-Joumhouria daily: “Unfortunately some have a broad imagination that drives them into unrealistic assumptions. I would like to emphasize that the measure taken by the General Security Directorate is totally normal and does not involve any hidden goals or intentions. It has been adopted in many Gulf and European countries for many years.”

adopted for Iranians ya Irani?

Thumb galaxy 18 June 2018, 13:41

yes of course @janoubi!!! What this pure bred iranian is saying is when an Iranian arrives in the Gulf or Europe he may request that his valuable iranian passport be not stamped. The Europeans and the Gulf countries salute him and say: "Of course, Welcome to our Country".

Thumb janoubi 18 June 2018, 13:14

Ibrahim asserts that international law preserves the human right to freedom of movement, and therefore "public security" can not impose restrictions on the traveler contrary to this principle.

So this terrorist iranian appointee who tortures people to obtain confessions and frames people for things they have not done wants us to believe he and his masters believe in human rights;)!

Thumb justin 18 June 2018, 15:25

yep, the same guy who co-sponsored the provision of air conditioned buses for ISIS is enlightening us with his care for human rights.

Thumb EagleDawn 18 June 2018, 14:00

Evil eyes so clear in the picture; can't believe the terrorist iranian militia bombarded this sectarian to head of security.

*Courtesy of mowateh

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 18 June 2018, 15:09

what you are saying applies in civilized nations and not in the family owned banana republic of Lebanon.

Thumb ashtah 18 June 2018, 15:00

He stressed that “the entry and departure of Iranians through the airport is registered and documented on computers. This is what matters to us,” pointing out that “even if the passports are not stamped, the date of arrival and departure is available to us by passing the passport on the (scan) machines.”

and without a stamp on his passport, you can with a push of a button on your computer delete any traces of him entering or leaving Lebanon.

Great and convincing argument.

Thumb lubnani.masi7i 18 June 2018, 15:05

I bet if an Iranian passenger arriving at a European airport requests his passport not be stamped at immigration, he will raise so much suspicion and maybe arrested on the spot.

Abbas ibn ibrahim lacks credibility to say the least and is full of BS.

Missing rabiosa 18 June 2018, 17:25

Lebanon is destroyed already. The country is a joke. It is run by the Basij with support by the Revolutionary guards.

Thumb ex-fpm 18 June 2018, 17:41

This Iranian mouthpiece cannot make the decision on his own. It must be referred to the cabinet and first approved by the minister of interior.

He runs General Security as if he owns it !

Thumb rolfmao. 18 June 2018, 18:28

Sir we are glad this amuses you but the issue is not what the procedures are in some other countries, that's neither here nor there, or more accurately only there. The issues here is why is this privilege afforded only to the Iranian nationals? If this was a system wide implementation it would surely include other foreign nationals.