Iranian Diplomats Face Shopping Restrictions in the U.S.

New regulations announced by the Trump administration now prohibit Iranian diplomats and their families from shopping at wholesale retailers like Costco without prior approval from the U.S. State Department. This decision, published in the Federal Register, coincided with the annual United Nations General Assembly in New York, where diplomats from various nations gather.

The restrictions extend to all Iranian officials and their accompanying family members, barring them from purchasing luxury goods unless authorized by the State Department. This move is seen as an effort to intensify tensions between the Iranian public and its political leadership, as experts suggest it aims to highlight the disparity in living conditions between ordinary Iranians and their government officials.

Omid Memarian, a researcher at the Washington-based organization DAWN, noted that these measures exploit the frustrations of the Iranian populace. He stated, “For years, many Iranians have been dissatisfied — and even angry — that large delegations travel with presidents to New York, imposing significant costs on the nation in the midst of sanctions and economic austerity.”

The Federal Register explicitly names wholesale club stores, including Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale Club, as venues where Iranian diplomats can no longer shop freely. This prohibition has drawn sharp criticism from Iranian officials, who argue that such measures are inappropriate for a country that hosts the U.N. General Assembly. In a statement released through the official news media, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei described the restrictions as “unprecedented” and a violation of the United States’ obligations as the host nation.

Costco has been a favored shopping destination for Iranian diplomats during their visits, with several locations across New York City, including in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. In previous years, images have surfaced showing Iranian officials loading up vehicles with goods, such as televisions and groceries, to take back home. Memarian emphasized that these visuals deepen public resentment, contrasting the hardship faced by ordinary Iranians with the comfortable lifestyles of their officials abroad.

The State Department has a history of imposing travel restrictions on foreign diplomats, particularly during the U.N. General Assembly, when numerous officials from countries with contentious relations with the U.S. converge in New York. Iranian diplomats have frequently faced stringent controls, typically limited to a 40-kilometer radius around Manhattan’s Columbus Circle. In 2019, restrictions tightened further, confining Iranian diplomats and their families to designated areas, including Kennedy International Airport and the Iranian mission to the U.N.

Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, characterized the shopping restrictions as a “symbolic step.” He asserted that the measures primarily aim to widen the gap between the Iranian state and its society. Vaez also remarked that it might seem trivial for a global superpower to regulate the shopping habits of its international visitors.

These recent actions echo past strategies where the U.S. has monitored representatives from nations perceived as hostile. Russian diplomats have long been subject to movement restrictions, while in 2019, the State Department required Chinese diplomats to notify officials of any meetings they attended in the United States.

The implications of these shopping restrictions extend beyond mere consumer habits. They reflect the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the United States and Iran, particularly in the context of economic sanctions imposed on Iran due to its nuclear program. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how these regulations will affect the already strained relations between the two nations.