U.S. issues travel visa to Iran's ex-president Khatami

The United States, which has been in tense relations with Iran, issued a visa on Tuesday to Iran's former President Mohammad Khatami to visit Washington next week, the State Department said.

The visa allowed Khatami to make a private visit that includes giving a speech at Washington's National Cathedral next week and attending a UN conference in New York on Sept. 5 and 6, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.

Casey said that there will be no restrictions on Khatami's travel while in the United States, noting "This is an opportunity in part for former President Khatami to hear the concerns of the American people."

Casey also said that there are no plans for U.S. officials to meet with Khatami.

Khatami, who was Iran's president from 1997 to 2005, and described as a reformist cleric, was invited to speak next month on "understanding between civilizations and cultures" at the Washington National Cathedral.

Khatami's visit comes amid high tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran's suspected program to develop nuclear weapons and its alleged support for Hezbollah guerrillas whose attack on Israel last month led to the ongoing crisis in Lebanon.

Source: Xinhua