News- Middle East: Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned as “systematic racism” a recent illegitimate move by the US administration to detain and deport a number of Iranian nationals residing on American soil.

The vehement condemnation follows discriminatory guidelines by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which are in line with the strict immigration policies of US President Donald Trump, including mass arrests and deportations of foreign nationals, asylum seekers, and illegal immigrants.

“This action by the US, which comes after its support for and involvement in the illegitimate military aggression of the Zionist regime against Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, is blatantly in breach of international legal standards,” said Alireza Hashemi Raja, the director general for the affairs of Iranian expatriates at Iran’s Foreign Ministry.

“Depriving hundreds of people of the right to reside in another country, solely based on their nationality or religion, is an instance of racial discrimination and systematic racism within the ruling US administration, and violates international norms regarding human rights, especially the principle of non-discrimination and fundamental human rights, which will naturally entail the international responsibility of the US government.”

Hashemi Raja stressed that the Islamic Republic would do its utmost to safeguard the rights of the Iranian nationals in the face of the discriminatory US decision.

“We will spare no effort to protect the rights of Iranians against the effects and consequences of the discriminatory decision by the US government, and if any of our compatriots detained in the US wishes to return to their homeland, they will receive the full support and assistance of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added.

He stressed that despite initial consular follow-ups, the Foreign Ministry has not yet received a convincing explanation regarding the reasons for the arrest of the Iranian nationals.

"While we regard the repressive and inhumane treatment of these Iranian residents in the US as unacceptable, we demand respect for their rights, immediate disclosure of their identities, and facilitation of consular access to provide them with necessary services,” he noted.

The Trump administration announced plans in March to revoke the legal status of potentially more than half-a-million immigrants currently living in the United States.

A total of 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelan immigrants, who entered the United States in the past three years, are vulnerable to potential deportation around that date.

Trump had promised on his campaign trail to deport millions of people who are in the US illegally, and as president, he has also been ending legal pathways for immigrants to enter the US and to stay.

The businessman-turned-politician's anti-immigration policy has repeatedly been challenged across the United States by federal judges.

Source: Press TV