CAIRO (AP) – The Latest on the global reaction to President Donald Trump’s temporary suspension of immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries (all times local):
12:45 p.m.
The United Arab Emirates’ top diplomat has come out in defense of President Donald Trump’s order temporarily barring citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said Wednesday that the United States was within its rights to take what he said was a “sovereign decision” concerning immigration.
He says he does not believe the move was based on religion, and noted that the majority of the world’s Muslim-majority countries were not covered by the order.
Sheikh Abdullah spoke following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Abu Dhabi.
The Emirates is one of the United States’ closest Arab allies. It is part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group and hosts American troops and warplanes taking part.
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11:45 a.m.
Iran’s state TV is reporting that President Hassan Rouhani has lashed out at the recent executive order by U.S. president Donald Trump to suspend immigration and visa processes for nationals from seven majority-Muslim countries, including Iran.
Rouhani described Trump and his administration as newcomers who don’t understand politics, saying, “A man had been living in another world and now has entered the world of politics.”
Rouhani also said that Trump would end up harming not only his own nation but other countries as well.
Rouhani called the American administration dishonest for claiming to be on the side of the Iranian people, but then banning them.