It has become common for foreign leaders to invite large delegations to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Most delegation members are not diplomats, have no business at the UN, and are in New York only for the shopping and partying. For friendly countries, providing these add-on delegates visas is both a courtesy and good for business. Adversaries, however, should receive no such courtesy. While the United States must as host provide enemy leaders and aides with visas, there is no reason why the State Department should allow the abuse of this privilege.
Alas, no one told the good folks at Foggy Bottom. The State Department evidently granted not only Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s son but also his daughter-in-law a visa. Here are pictures of them in New York courtesy of the Iranian website Asr-e Iran. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton owes the American people an explanation.
