New York - The United Nations has voiced concerns to the United
States over restrictions placed on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad
Javad Zarif during his current trip to New York, UN spokesman Farhan
Haq said on Monday.
Zarif arrived in New York on Sunday and plans to participate in a
meeting on Wednesday as part of the UN's Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC) conference.
New restrictions effectively mean Iranian officials can only travel
within a six-block radius of the United Nations, as of July 13,
according to a State Department official.
This means Zarif is only allowed to travel between UN headquarters,
the Iranian Mission to the UN and the residence of Iran's UN
ambassador with an exception for travel to John F Kennedy Airport.
The US sees no reason for Iranian diplomats to be "freely roaming"
around New York and "takes its obligations as the host of the United
Nations seriously," the State Department official added.
Haq said the UN is in close contact with the US and Iranian missions
regarding the matter and has conveyed its concerns to the US.
In recent weeks there has been a sharp increase in tensions between
the US and Iran, including allegations that forces allied with Tehran
targeted tankers at sea and the recent Iranian downing of a US drone.
Iran has also begun to incrementally violate the nuclear deal, with
two recent breaches.
No meetings with US counterparts were announced, but rumours swirled
in Tehran that Zarif planned to lay the groundwork for a potential
meeting with American officials on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly in September.