Iranian Diplomats Face Shopping Restrictions During UN Assembly

Iranian diplomats and officials visiting the United States for the annual United Nations General Assembly are now prohibited from shopping at wholesale retailers such as Costco without prior approval from the State Department. This new regulation, announced by the Trump administration, aims to impose stricter controls on Iranian officials and their families during their time in the U.S.

The restrictions were detailed in the Federal Register as diplomats from various nations gathered in New York City this week. The regulations specifically bar Iranian officials from “acquiring luxury goods” without explicit permission, tightening existing limitations on their activities in the country.

Impact on Iranian Diplomats

According to experts, these measures are designed to exploit the sensitivities within Iranian public opinion. Omid Memarian, an expert affiliated with the Washington-based research group DAWN, argued that the restrictions serve to exacerbate tensions between the Iranian public and political elites. He emphasized the economic hardships faced by ordinary Iranians due to severe international sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program, which have rendered many basic goods unaffordable or scarce.

Memarian noted that there has been a growing dissatisfaction among Iranians regarding the lavish spending habits of officials who travel to New York amidst ongoing economic austerity. 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.”

The Federal Register specifies that the prohibition on shopping extends to any “wholesale club store,” explicitly naming Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale Club as examples. This rule could significantly impact Iranian officials who traditionally frequent these retailers during their visits to the U.S.

Reactions from Iranian Officials

Iranian representatives have criticized the restrictions as inappropriate for a host nation of the United Nations. Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, described the measures as “unprecedented” and in violation of the United States’ obligations as the host country for the General Assembly.

Wholesale retailers like Costco have been popular among Iranian diplomats, especially during their autumn visits for the General Assembly. Several locations across New York City, including in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, provide a wide array of goods, from electronics to grocery items. In previous years, images have emerged of Iranian officials loading up vehicles with goods such as televisions and cereal boxes, further fueling public resentment back home. Memarian highlighted how these images amplify the disparity between ordinary Iranians enduring economic hardship and officials enjoying luxuries abroad.

The State Department has long implemented travel restrictions to monitor foreign diplomats, particularly during the General Assembly when numerous officials from countries with difficult relations with the U.S. arrive in New York. Iranian diplomats have often faced the most stringent limitations, typically confined to a 40-kilometer radius around Columbus Circle in Manhattan.

In 2019, the Trump administration further tightened these restrictions, barring Iranian diplomats and their families from traveling beyond designated locations, which included Kennedy International Airport and the Iranian ambassador’s residence. This policy even restricted Mohammad Javad Zarif, the then Iranian Foreign Minister, from visiting Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where the Iranian ambassador was receiving treatment.

The recent shopping restrictions represent a “symbolic step,” according to Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. He emphasized that the measures aim to deepen the divide between the Iranian state and its society. Vaez described the approach as “petty,” criticizing a superpower for attempting to regulate the shopping habits of its international guests.

Historically, travel restrictions on foreign diplomats have been part of broader efforts to monitor representatives from nations perceived as hostile to the United States. Russian diplomats, for example, have faced similar movement limitations, and in 2019, the State Department mandated that Chinese diplomats inform authorities of any meetings they attended in the U.S.

The implications of these shopping restrictions will likely resonate beyond the immediate context, as they highlight the ongoing complexities of U.S.-Iran relations and the broader geopolitical landscape surrounding the United Nations General Assembly.