Senate poised to ban Iranian diplomat

By BURGESS EVERETT | 4/7/14 5:06 PM EDT

The Senate is set to pass a bill banning Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations from the United States.

Sen. Ted Cruz’s proposal would prevent known terrorists from entering the United States as ambassadors to the U.N. Hamid Aboutalebi, who participated in the 1979 hostage-taking of Americans in Tehran, has been appointed ambassador to the UN by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a move described as a “slap in the face” to the U.S. by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and “unconscionable” by Cruz.

Cruz will move to pass the bill by unanimous consent shortly after voting on a bill extending emergency unemployment compensation. Anyone can object to such an attempt, though aides are confident that bill will breeze through.

Senators in both parties have raised concerns over the prospect of Aboutalebi’s nomination, but Cruz last week came to the Senate floor to advertise his legislative push to bar the controversial diplomat from U.S. soil. Over the weekend Cruz spoke with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a fellow Iran hawk, to clear the way for the bill, sources in both parties said.

Over the Obama administration’s concerns that Cruz’s legislation was too broad, a provision was inserted to require that people like Aboutalebi must have been found to participate in terrorist activities before they can be banned. After that alteration was made, Schumer told Cruz that he would not object to the bill, clearing the bill for passage on the Democratic side.

The discussions between Cruz and Schumer were first reported by the Washington Post.