Iran's Rouhani to Trump: 'Now is Not the Time to Build Walls'

W460

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticised his US counterpart Donald Trump on Saturday, saying now was "not the time to build walls between nations". 

"They have forgotten that the Berlin Wall collapsed many years ago. Even if there are walls between nations, they must be removed," Rouhani said at a tourism convention in Tehran.

His remarks came after Trump ordered construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border and imposed tough new controls on travellers from seven Muslim countries, among them Iran.

Rouhani did not comment directly on the visa ban, but said Iran had "opened its doors" to foreign tourists since the signing of a nuclear agreement with world powers in 2015.

With more than a million Iranians living in the United States, many families are deeply concerned about the implications of Trump's visa ban, which also affects citizens from Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

On Thursday, one of Iran's most popular actresses said she would boycott next month's Academy Awards in protest at the ban. 

"Trump's visa ban for Iranians is racist. Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won't attend the #AcademyAwards 2017," tweeted Taraneh Alidoosti, who stars in the Oscar-nominated "The Salesman". 

No visas will be issued for migrants or visitors from the seven countries for at least 90 days, a restriction which can be extended if the countries in question do not provide extensive information on individuals seeking to enter the United States.

Quizzed on the street, many Iranians said they were baffled by the move. 

"Americans themselves are mostly immigrants. To pick out a few countries and call them terrorist is not logical," said Mohsen Najari, a 33-year-old resident of the Iranian capital.

Tehran and Washington have not had diplomatic ties since students stormed the US embassy in 1980 following an Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah.

"It's got nothing to do with terrorism. Iran and the US just don't have good ties. The US has good relations with Saudi Arabia so it doesn't matter how many terrorists come from Saudi Arabia," said Sima, a 27-year-old. 

Comments 10
Thumb ParvizAmir 28 January 2017, 10:18

President Rouhani under directions of our Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamannei is delivering a message for humanity. The Islamic Republic of Iran has never been one for building walls between nations. The Islamic revolution started by the great Imam Khomeini will break down walls and barriers and spread across the world no matter what the great satan and its zionist ally do or say.

Thumb Maxx 28 January 2017, 15:56

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has never been one for building walls between nations."
Of course not! The Islamic State of Iran builds bombs and trains terrorist militias who act as far more impenetrable barriers than any concrete wall ever could.

Thumb Maxx 28 January 2017, 15:50

You know you are a hateful bigot when even the president of a country that jails its own journalists and bombs the bejesus out of Syrians through its terrorist proxy tells you to chill.

Thumb eli-g 28 January 2017, 16:03

@ParvizAmir.. WOW !!! its going to spread...across the world? you mean the whole world? every corner of it? vallah vallah.

Thumb marcus 28 January 2017, 16:36

The iranians recently said their aim is to have an islamic government to rule the world. Parviz is not joking!

Thumb justin 28 January 2017, 17:39

إيران: سننشر ولاية الفقيه على مستوى عالمي

رأى اللواء يحيى رحيم صفوي، كبير المستشارين العسكريين للمرشد الإيراني الأعلى علي خامنئي، أن “العالم يتجه نحو إقامة حكومة إسلامية عالمية بإدارة إيران”، في خطاب يوحي بالتنافس مع خطاب تنظيم “داعش” الذي يدعو إلى دولة إسلامية عالمية أيضاً.

http://www.lebanese-forces.com/2016/12/01/yehya-rahim-safwi-iran/

Default-user-icon republic (Guest) 28 January 2017, 20:44

poker face

Thumb scorpyonn 28 January 2017, 21:22

Anyone who goes to Iran is risking being arrested and thrown in jail. Who wants to go to that religiously corrupt vermin infested country?

Thumb Elemental 28 January 2017, 21:25

This takia nonsense won't work with Trump, thankfully.

Thumb shab 29 January 2017, 10:20

"Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won't attend the #AcademyAwards 2017," tweeted Taraneh Alidoosti" using the Zionist Imperialist Tweet service