TEHRAN – In a move that is widely seen as part of the broader anti-immigration agenda, US President Donald Trump has signed a massive executive order that completely bans travel from 12 countries, including Iran, and introduces partial entry restrictions on citizens from seven other people.
An announcement made by the White House late Wednesday shows a dramatic escalation in Trump’s second-term immigration crackdown. This directive will come into effect on June 9, 2025.
Among those facing a complete ban on entry into the United States are citizens of Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Myanmar, Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea and Haiti. Additionally, individuals in Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will face various levels of limitation.
Justifying the controversial order, Trump referenced a recent incident at a pro-Israel rally in Colorado, citing what he called the need to prevent the entry of “people who want to harm us.” He claimed the event showed “the dangers posed by inadequately vetted foreigners” and warned against what he called the “open immigration crisis” affecting parts of Europe.
“We can’t forgive what’s going on in Europe here,” Trump said in a video posted to social media platform X.
However, critics have criticized the move as discriminatory and politically motivated, noting that many of the target countries are either the majority of Muslims or have long been opposed to US foreign policy. Iran has consistently condemned such comprehensive policies, which believes it violates international norms and targets the state based on political inconsistencies and religious identity.
The new measure follows the initial enforcement action in January, requiring a stronger security screening for all foreigners seeking US visas. In March, Reuters reported that Washington was considering additional country-specific restrictions, many of which are now formalised in the latest order.