Former Norway PM held at Washington airport over 2014 visit to Iran

[samh004]

I thought a condition for having the UN based in New York would be not pulling stunts like this, but this also flies in the face of diplomatic immunity and rules? I'm sure the US would make a very loud noise if one of their diplomats was held and questioned in a foreign country.

He was held for an hour after customs agents saw in his diplomatic passport that he had been to Iran in 2014. Bondevik said his passport also clearly indicated that he was the former PM of Norway.

“Of course I fully understand the fear of letting terrorists come into this country,” he told ABC7. “It should be enough when they found that I have a diplomatic passport, [that I’m a] former prime minister.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...eld-washington-dulles-airport-2014-visit-iran

 

[Isochronous]

Hopefully Trump can demolish the UN Building and do something better with the land currently being abused by those diseased squatters.

 

[dfcatch]

I thought a condition for having the UN based in New York would be not pulling stunts like this, but this also flies in the face of diplomatic immunity and rules? I'm sure the US would make a very loud noise if one of their diplomats was held and questioned in a foreign country.



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...eld-washington-dulles-airport-2014-visit-iran

1/ He's no longer a diplomat AFAIK.

2/ I read a different article that stated he "subsequently" produced his diplomatic passport (ie. his regular one was produced initially and had the Iran visit in there).

3/ As a former official he should know that anyone who has visited Iran since 2011 would be required to have a Visa unless granted a waiver for being there on official government business (not a new Trump rule).

 

[yohy?!]

Shades of 'Veep'!

 

[Deleted member]

1/ He's no longer a diplomat AFAIK.

2/ I read a different article that stated he "subsequently" produced his diplomatic passport (ie. his regular one was produced initially and had the Iran visit in there).

3/ As a former official he should know that anyone who has visited Iran since 2011 would be required to have a Visa unless granted a waiver for being there on official government business (not a new Trump rule).

Yet US (ex) diplomats carry their title into retirement. Clinton, Obama et al all still get to use the title "Mr President" and ex US Ambassadors also.
One gets the feeling that where the US is concerned, what's sauce for the goose, ain't necessarily sauce for the gander!

 

[OATEK]

If you read far enough into this, you find this:

"Bondevik said his detention was prompted not by President Donald Trump's recent executive order, but by a policy instated under President Obama, which calls for extra restrictions on some citizens from 38 countries - including Norway."
US Federal judge slaps restraining order on Donald Trump's travel ban

 

[RooFlyer]

Yeah, bloody Obama screwing up my travel. I'll have to go for a manual US visa after I go to Iran later this year. A certain 7 countries on Obama's list. They seem to have gained some additional attention in the media lately.

 

[whatmeworry]

Yeah damn that bloody W Bush for making me need to get a ESTA when I want to fly into the USA.

 

[juddles]

Seriously, this displays the level of journalism and news that makes me want to cry. Why on earth should "we" (as in Australians) give a toss about a minor travel inconvenience allegedly suffered by a Norweigan citizen?

 

[dfcatch]

Yeah damn that bloody W Bush for making me need to get a ESTA when I want to fly into the USA.

Actually I think the ESTA requirement came in under Obama.

I don't recall requiring it until around 2009/2010.

 

[RooFlyer]

Yep, introduced 2009, mandatory 2010. Bloody Obama for introducing ESTAs.