Kathmandu, March 13 (NationPress) - The Nepali government has announced that it will cease granting visa-on-arrival privileges to Iranian nationals traveling to the nation, a decision influenced by the persisting US–Iran tensions in West Asia, as stated by the Department of Immigration on Friday.

According to Ram Chandra Tiwari, the Director General of the department, the initiative aims to curb the potential influx of Iranian travelers into Nepal amidst the regional conflict. "We have implemented similar measures for other countries experiencing turmoil," he remarked during an interview with IANS.

He explained that, following the department's suggestion, the Ministry of Home Affairs made the decision to revoke visa-on-arrival access for Iranian citizens.

“This decision was taken for national security reasons, as there is a risk of Iranians entering through the porous border with India,” he added.

Under the revised policy, Iranian citizens, with the exception of those holding diplomatic or official passports, must now secure a visa from a Nepali Embassy or diplomatic mission abroad prior to their arrival in Nepal. This new rule brings the total number of countries whose citizens are ineligible for visa-on-arrival in Nepal to 13.

The other nations excluded from visa-on-arrival privileges include Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan, and Syria.

The Nepali government has reiterated that individuals traveling on refugee-status documents must obtain a visa from a Nepali diplomatic mission prior to entering the country.

Nepal has expressed concerns regarding a possible influx of foreign nationals seeking refugee status upon their arrival. Previously, numerous Rohingya refugees entered Nepal due to the conflict instigated by Myanmar’s military regime against them. Additionally, the country hosted over 100,000 Bhutanese refugees for two decades starting in the early 1990s, most of whom were later resettled in various Western nations.

When questioned if this decision was also a response to US security concerns regarding Iranian individuals in Nepal, Tiwari clarified that this was not a consideration in their decision-making process.

“We have not received any diplomatic messages from the US regarding any threats posed by Iranian nationals in Nepal,” Tiwari stated.

The department confirmed that this latest regulation concerning Iranian citizens forms part of Nepal’s immigration policies governing entry procedures for specific nationalities.