Credit: Wikipedia /   Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif,  prior the talks between the E3+3 (France, Germany, UK, China, Russia and US) and Iran, 03. July 2014 in Vienna, Austria.

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –   The UN Monday expressed concern to the United States Department of State over travel restrictions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif during his visit to New York this week for a UN meeting.  Iran Foreign Minister Zarif  arrived on Sunday with a very restrictive visa from the US,  only allowing him travel from NY John F. Kennedy Airport to UN Headquarters, to the Iranian Mission to the United Nations, and to the Residence of the Iranian Ambassador in Manhattan.  Zarif is scheduled to attend a ministerial meeting at the United Nations on sustainable development goals, which seek to combat issues including conflict, hunger, equality and climate change by 2030.

“The Secretariat is aware of the restrictive travel measures recently imposed by the host country on personnel of the Permanent Mission of Iran to the UN.  The Secretariat is in close contact with the Permanent Missions of the United States and Iran to the UN regarding this matter and has conveyed its concerns to the host country.”

– Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General  António Guterres said at Monday Jul 15, 2019 press briefing at world headquarters in New York.

Credit: Gary Raynaldo  /  Farhan Haq,  Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres Jul 15, 2019 press briefing at world headquarters in New York.

Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif speaks out in Interview with NBC NEWS 

My interview with @LesterHoltNBC of @NBCNightlyNews in NY. We sat down on July 15 in Iran's UN ambassador’s residence— one of the three buildings I’m permitted to set foot in while in the U.S. conducting official UN business.https://t.co/nGfJmCVgox

More to come on @BBC & others

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) July 16, 2019

U.S.-Iran tensions  have worsened since U.S. President Donald Trump last year withdrew the United States from a 2015 international agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.  The US Department of State has indicated that no US officials will met with Zarif during  his visit.  Zarif is also scheduled to visit Venezuela.