US Bars Iranian Diplomats From Costco, Luxury Shopping In New York

Iranian diplomats in New York now face restrictions on shopping at wholesale stores like Costco and purchasing luxury goods without State Department approval.

The Trump administration has implemented these restrictions as part of broader efforts to enforce US sanctions against Iran.

Iranian officials attending the UN General Assembly face travel limitations, confined to routes between UN headquarters and their essential destinations within New York City.

According to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, these measures represent the Oval Office's commitment to sanctions enforcement.

The policy aims to prevent Iranian leadership from enjoying luxuries abroad while citizens at home suffer from poverty, infrastructure problems, and shortages of basic utilities.

"We will not allow the Iranian regime to allow its clerical elites to have a shopping spree in New York while the Iranian people endure poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and dire shortages of water and electricity," stated the State Department.

Diplomatic privileges now requiring government approval include wholesale store memberships and purchases of luxury items such as watches, jewelry, handbags, perfumes, alcohol, and vehicles.

This decision follows reports that Iranian diplomats frequently visited Costco in New York to purchase large quantities of goods that are difficult or expensive to obtain in Iran.

The State Department emphasized, "By preventing Iranian regime officials from exploiting diplomatic travel to the UN as a means to obtain goods unavailable to the Iranian public, we are sending a clear message: When the United States says it stands with the people of Iran, we mean it."

Clifton Seagroves, who leads the State Department's Office of Foreign Missions, clarified that Iranian diplomats must now receive approval before buying luxury items valued over $1,000 or vehicles exceeding $60,000.

In a separate but related action, the US has denied visas to Palestinian Authority officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing their attendance at a recent two-state solution conference.

Pigott reinforced the administration's position: "The security of Americans is always our priority, and the United States will not allow the Iranian regime to use UNGA as an excuse to travel freely in New York to promote its terrorist agenda."