The US State Department said on Monday that it has issued visa
to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to attend the UN General
Assembly in New York.
"My understanding is that his visa has been issued," State
Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said at a news briefing.
"To the best of my knowledge, no one in his party has had their
visa denied," Casey said referring to Ahmadinejad's possible
activities in New York.
"I'm not exactly sure what his speaking schedule is at the UN,"
the spokesman added.
US President George W. Bush, who is in New York, said last week
that he will not meet with Ahmadinejad on the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly.
Ahmadinejad said early this month that he was willing to hold a
debate with Bush at the UN General Assembly.
The White House rejected Ahmadinejad's proposal.
Washington and Iran have severed diplomatic ties since Iran
broke out Islamic revolution in 1979 and US embassy personnel were
taken hostage in a crisis that lasted 444 days.
The relations between the two countries are getting worse in
recent years because of disputes over Tehran's nuclear ambitions
and support for Islamic militants such as Hizbollah.
However, the US State Department gave former Iranian President
Mohammad Khatami an unrestricted visa to visit the United States
early this month, including stops in New York, Chicago, and
Washington for speeches and news conferences.
(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2006)
